


Wanted: Dead or Alive

by stephensmat



Series: Heroes For Earth [2]
Category: Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Genre: Drama, Ecology, F/M, Gen, Modern Retelling, Murder Mystery, Part two of three, Scandal, Sequel, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Updated Villains, Whole Cast - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-04-24 14:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 93,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14357472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephensmat/pseuds/stephensmat
Summary: The Planeteers continue their Mission, when they get caught up in an international murder mystery; as someone draws a cunning plan to eliminate them.Second in the Heroes For Earth series.





	1. Chapter 1

The Green Revolution started in the 1940's, and was dedicated to finding new agricultural solutions to solve rising problems of crop failures, insufficient harvest, and thus combat world hunger and conflict through innovation. In the 1960's, it scored its greatest victories, providing enough food to feed billions.

This was something new. The world was gripped in a new movement, dubbed by some to be The Hope Revolution, in honor of Hope Island, and the five young people who led the charge to change the nature of the world.

The Planeteers. They were not rich or powerful, but they cared. Called together by Gaia, the conscious soul of the Earth, they were given authority over the five elemental powers of Life, in the form of gold bejeweled rings that defied explanation. Armed and commissioned to put a stop to the senseless destruction plaguing the world, the five went to work.

It was an awesome and terrifying responsibility to lay on five young adults, but their duty to their people compelled them to answer the call, because having touched the power for themselves, they knew that if they could not find a solution that humanity could live with, the Earth had it within her power to put a stop to it, and likely doom human civilization.

And so the Earth poured its hopes for balance into a team of five humans. Kwame, a miner from Africa. A calm and gentle soul, with a gift for natural leadership and a deep love for his homelands, given the Power of Earth. Wheeler, a construction worker from North America. Deeply protective and loyal to his family and his team, with a love for making things grow, given the Power of Fire. Linka, a small town farmer from Europe, fiercely independent, and uncompromising in her purpose and her love for the trees, given the Power of Wind. Gi, a former student from Asia, with a brilliant analytical mind, and a great knowledge of how things worked, given the Power of Water. Ma-Ti, a village boy from South America, with great compassion for all living things, and an open minded love for all the world, given the Power of Heart; over life and the energy of living things.

Their quest began with them finding their way to each other from widely diverse countries and ways of life across the world. Their first Mission was a success, destroying an immense mobile Oil Rig, which had been strip mining the oceans illegally, on behalf of rich and powerful kingmakers and profiteers; a ruthless financial institution known as The Corporation.

During the course of that secret mission, The Planeteers used their five powers combined, and summoned an unfathomable force of pure creation, so beyond their comprehension that they were terrified of what they had unleashed. It was a blast of power that let loose a new genesis on the world, creating a new continent for the first time since Dinosaurs ruled the earth. It was an act of foundation that made the whole world sit up and take notice. The Hope Revolution began with a roar.

What set The Hope Revolution apart was that it ignored so much of what people relied on. The Planeteers sought no funding, proposed no laws, endorsed no leader or nation. Their message went to the people. Their celebrity after the formation of Hope Island caused crowds to flock to them, and they took full advantage, sometimes going door to door. The Hope Revolution focused on individual action, and individual success.

One woman called out to Linka that she and her family couldn't do anything, couldn't afford to change their ways. Linka had gone into her home personally and shown her she was wrong. Kwame did the same with businesses, Wheeler with city dwellers, Ma-Ti with farmers. Gi had set up their communications, and The Planeteers began holding online classes to dozens of nations across the world, where the borders had been closed to them, or time did not allow a personal visit.

Kwame had made the first online address, and it quickly became one of the most watched videos in internet history.

"Hello. My name is Kwame Deka, and not long ago, I was just like you. All I can tell you is what I know to be the truth. That you can make a difference. Even if it's only a small one, it's something that wouldn't have changed without you. This world is for all of us to live on, and we can't afford to wait for someone else to fix the problem. If the big problems don't have solutions that you can see, then get busy on the little ones. If it seems hopeless, just remember that nobody can stop you from trying, except you. That doesn't just apply to the environment. It applies to anything you care about! The Power Is Yours!"

The Power Is Yours Campaign had lasted for months. The Press had left them alone after a while, though their missions still got the front page every time. When their appearances became less shocking, they never failed to draw a crowd. Sometimes they appeared at a business or a store and started to talk to people there about ways they could make a difference. Ma-Ti would usually just walk out into the middle of a busy road, unafraid of the traffic or the people, and just start to talk.

* * *

Gi visited a Recycling Center. People who worked there were thrilled to have a celebrity. They gave her the full tour, answered her questions. Most of the employees called their friends, or family. Those that were in the area came to see if it was true. Eventually, Gi's tour was done, and she stood outside the building and spoke to them.

"Recycling a single can takes 5% of the power, money, water and effort it would take to make a new one." Gi said to them. "Every tonne of paper recycled saves 13 trees. But it also saves 4100 kilowatts of power, 30,000 Liters of water. In a world that faces energy and water shortages every day, that's no small thing. When I was inside, I was told that there is a serious problem with contamination. When you throw garbage in the recycling, it contaminates the collection. That garbage that you throw in the recycling bin comes back to you, in degraded recycled material, to say nothing of the recycled goods that are discarded or no good because of that contamination. You may be doing it without realizing! not all kinds of plastic or even paper can be recycled. Any recycling center will tell you what can and can't go in the recycle bin. Thirty seconds research on the internet saves a lot of work picking out the stuff that can't be used.  **The Power is Yours!** "

* * *

Kwame simply walked into an office building, and waited for people to notice him. The majority of the workers there worked administratively. Whole levels were dedicated to cubicles of workers. Kwame stood in the middle of them, and made his case.

"Back home, my father owned a mining company." He said to them. "Before I took on this calling, I was getting ready to take it over. I worked in the Mines, and I worked in the offices, getting to know the people who would work for me one day. What you guys do every day, I have done too. You can make a difference here, and not even notice you're doing it. For instance, how many of you live off coffee?"

Pretty much every hand went up, with a self-deprecating laugh.

"Most coffee shops will let you bring in your own mug to use. most of them are thrilled, less stuff they have to pay for. A lot of them offer reusable coffee mugs to bring back with you. That alone will stop Styrofoam going into landfills. When you're here at the office, the same thing applies. A regular coffee mug instead of disposable cups. is it really so hard to rinse it off and let it dry? In this office alone I can see three printers. Ink cartridges can be recycled, refilled and put back into use, at 10% the cost of a new one from the store. now I know that this company has a recycling program, but I'm looking around and I see a trash bin in every cubicle. You are the ones who decide what you throw away. Every worker goes through a full grown tree worth of paper every year. If you need something to write down a note on, turn a piece of paper over. Don't think that looking after the environment is something that you should be embarrassed about in the workplace, or something that should be limited to your home  **The Power is Yours!** "

* * *

It sounded like the smallest, most inconsequential of things, but that was the power it held. Things that people could easily do, they did. And when they realized they wanted to do more, they went looking for bigger and grander things they could do.

Their first campaign stared slow, and grew like a wave. Most treated it like another social movement. A fad to be embraced and soon forgotten by the kids. But adults were invited in too. The Planeteers got their internet following organized, and the crowds that followed to hear them speak got together to continue what was started.

The Planeteers were fighting despair and depression. The whole human race saw the world's problems unfolding. Those that didn't have the numbers or the information could still tell that the world was changing. They could feel the summers getting longer and the winters getting harsher. But most of them simply watched, sickened, saddened, worried; and waiting for a solution.

The Planeteers were quickly considered to be that solution, set to make the problem go away. The five of them quickly pushed that idea aside, and fought the sense of hopelessness with everything they had, trying to motivate people. Small things first, then larger and larger.

And it was doing some good. The feeling of change was spreading. People were taking notice. One by one they started to involve themselves. People who were only just signing petitions were suddenly doing more. If nothing else, they started to ask questions, wondering where their food came from, or how their power was generated.

The Hope Revolution was making a difference.

* * *

Kwame looked at Lizzie Quinn, perturbed. "I'm sorry. 'Captain Planet'? Say that again?"

"Which part?" Lizzie asked brightly, knowing she was doomed.

"All of it."

"Look." Lizzie said patiently. "The World Watchers want a mascot. A lot of their number are kids. Edutainment, it's called."

"And this is what they came up with?" Kwame asked. "Liz, we're trying to do serious work here. Some of the most important work that has ever been done. You think, that if we made the symbol of that work a blue skinned green haired cartoon character in red boots, we'll get more kids interested?"

"Not me. The World Watchers." Lizzie explained.

"How stupid did you think you would sound pitching that?"

"A lot less stupid than the kids would feel watching the show."

Kwame sighed. "What else you got?"

Lizzie smiled. "You've all been invited to a Black Tie Fundraiser. Show up and the donations will go through the roof."

"What's the cause?"

"You are. After a fashion. The Planet Foundation has investments and charitable causes all over the place. Education, clean-up, green-tech, recycling drives, swap meets. They've been doing good for a lot of people. Some of them see a benefit in keeping your little proteges funded for a while."

Kwame thought about it a moment. "This... will do good?"

"And the people who stand to gain are the ones who started their movement in your name, with your blessing. You don't show up and..."

"And we're ignoring the people who look up to us." Kwame finished. "Okay, we'll be there."

"And you have a visitor. You won't want to take this meeting, but he wouldn't take no for an answer, he came personally, and his time is valuable."

"Who is he?" Kwame asked, intrigued.

"Me."

Kwame and Lizzie turned. The door had opened, and in had come a man in a well tailored suit, with dark hair, blue eyes, and a granite jaw. He looked like he could be a newsreader.

"I'll step out, let you two talk." Lizzie said, ducking out.

Holland smiled at Kwame. "Do you know who I am?"

Kwame wasn't in any way intimidated. "Should I?"

"My name is Bertrand Holland. I'm running for Congress."

Kwame's face hardened. "I'm sorry, Mr. Holland, but it's not going to happen."

"You don't know what I'm going to say yet."

"Yes, I do. I've heard it before." Kwame said lightly. "You're prepared to dramatically increase our press coverage and make us somewhat wealthier if we support you, your policies, or your campaign in some way."

"Something like that."

Kwame sighed. "Mr. Holland." He said politely. "We have stayed out of every political debate that has ever come near us. The Planeteers are strictly apolitical." He almost smirked. "And... pretty much anti-politician too."

Holland almost cackled. "I know. I never get tired of watching you rip the US Ambassador apart. Still, I was hoping you would make an exception in my case, given my platform."

"Which is?"

"My district is currently the most pro-environment in New York State, due in no small part to the five of you. Your movement is spreading. My opponent has been tied to The Corporation for his last four campaigns. If I take the Eco-Stance, I can beat him. My campaign promises the first bill I pass will be to require  _by law_  the use of recycling technologies for all businesses and industry employing more than twenty-five people."

Kwame nodded. "Good luck with that. But you'll have to do it without us."

"You won't support me?"

"With the exception of Wheeler, we're not even legally allowed to vote for you." Kwame said honestly.

"There could be benefits in working with me."

"There are downsides too." Kwame said. "We have a Mission. One that politics has proven unequal to solve. In all the times we've been on TV, have you heard us endorse a petition, a law, a vote, a candidate? Ever?"

"No indeed. But I know why. You're worried about tying yourself to a politician, who will hang you out to dry."

"No, we're not worried. We know. A politician can only plan as far as the next election. We have to get things done. I wish you luck, and if you manage to get elected, I hope that you can do some good, but frankly, the whole point of the Planeteers is that nothing else worked. And the whole point of the 'Power Is Yours' campaign is that we can't wait for anyone else to do these things for us."

Holland seemed unconcerned. "Well. Looks like it was a shorter meeting than I thought."

* * *

Holland left the room, his annoyance hidden well.

Lizzie shrugged. "Yup. I could have told you he said that."

Holland sighed. "I know. But I had to try."

"For what it's worth, I took a look at your proposition. I think it'll be a great victory for the environment. But I don't see how you'll get it to work. It's expensive, and it's new. Anything expensive and new is doomed in politics. Especially since The Corporation is backing your opponent."

Holland nodded. "I know. Wish me luck."

Lizzie headed out. "I have to get back to work."

"Me too." Holland said. The second Lizzie was out of the room, he pulled out his cell phone. "You were right, Mr Stumm; they refuse to, in any way, play ball."

* * *

Stumm didn't seem to care. "I told you that would happen. Don't worry about it. There are other ways. You know what to do?"

"I do."

"Good man." Stumm disconnected.

Bligh, his head of security, turned to face him. "So. Can I assume the word is given?"

Stumm smirked. "You've been waiting for this a long time Bligh. We start taking care of the problem today. I'll announce tonight at the Party."

Bligh nodded. "I'll handle Levinson." She pulled out her phone and speed dialed. "Mal, it's me. The operation is a go."

* * *

Even in New York City, farmers and organic growers had their place. There were twenty eight open air markets that took place during the week, at least one every day, and at least ten of them all year round.

Fruit, veg, meat, poultry, milk, everything that could be grown, preserved, and eaten was for sale. More then two hundred local farmers had their places reserved, and from time to time, casual sellers could try their luck.

Of course, there was a price to pay for such a chance.

"Early." JJ moaned.

"Yes, it is a touch early." Polly said cheerfully.

"The sun isn't up yet." JJ moaned.

"Think of how much you'll get done."

JJ's eyes flew open. "Oh, right." He reached into his bag and pulled out his books. "Geography."

"Thought you hated geography."

"That's why I haven't done my homework yet." JJ groaned. "I hate geography because every class for the last six months has worked Hope Island into the conversation somehow and everyone turns to stare at me, and skipping homework doesn't help that."

Polly's cell phone rang. She handed it to JJ without answering. He hit the button. "Hey Bro."

"Hey, bro." Wheeler answered. "What time is it there?"

"6:30. You forget already?"

"I figured I should check. What on earth made you get up at 6:30 in the morning?"

"Farmer's market." JJ responded. "Me and Polly have been busy."

"Buying or selling?" Wheeler laughed.

"Both. Polly wasn't using her spare room, and every community garden in New York state is trying to recruit me since my family got famous for making things grow."

"Good grief, my brother: Farmer Joe." Wheeler laughed. "Got a lot to sell?"

"Enough to fill a table at the market."

"Find the regulars." Wheeler advised. "They'll barter. Polly will love you if you can trade for some meat, or flour or sugar or tea. Stuff she uses and can't get from you."

JJ nodded, though his brother couldn't see it. "Huh. You done this before?"

"As a buyer. Never grew enough to sell. Went a little nuts one summer and came back with way too much. Hold on to any spares. I'll show you how to preserve them." Wheeler advised.

JJ sat up straighter. "You will?"

"Oh didn't I tell you?" Wheeler quipped. "We'll be in New York tomorrow night. We got put on the guest list for some Black Tie gala."

JJ was thrilled to hear his brother would be in town, and wanted to say half a dozen things, but he started with the most important. "You can't tie a tie."

"That's tomorrow night's problem." Wheeler quipped. "What have you got tomorrow night?"

"There's a thing with the Planet Foundation."

"Blow it off."

JJ laughed. "Okay. After that there's this thing on TV. It's actually a retrospective on you guys. Want me to tape it?"

"Why? I was there the first time."

JJ laughed again. "See you tomorrow night." He disconnected the call, and checked over the table he had. Onions, garlic, cucumbers, gherkins, tomatoes, lettuce... all of it grown in his brothers... in his container garden. After their father had shipped out with his unit, Wheeler had turned the large bedroom into an indoor container garden. When Wheeler had left home to take up his Mission, JJ had inherited it. Since he didn't eat as many vegetables as he should, and had expanded the garden; he had plenty of leftover produce.

The regular customers got there early. "Excuse me..." One of them said. "But are you Wheeler Johnston's brother?"

JJ smirked, despite himself. "Yeah. Yeah I am."

The woman was delighted, looking over what the table had to offer.

Polly leaned in. "We gotta charge more for this."

* * *

Wheeler's advice turned out to be very accurate. JJ was able to swap whatever didn't sell for loaves of bread, bottles of milk, bags of sugar... He was mildly amazed at what was available at the Farmer's markets, and Polly was more than thrilled to have variety in her groceries without spending anything.

It was a lesson he applied to school immediately the next day. More than a third of the kids in his class weren't happy with what they had, and JJ had skillfully organized a swap meet by recess. Those that came drew attention from students, and even a teacher or two who joined in.

"All right, let's get some business done." JJ said cheerfully.

"I've got a meatloaf sandwich." Emily said. "My dad won't believe me when I say that I'm vegan now."

"I got a muesli bar. Choc coated." Offered Ben.

"No, no good. Vegan. No milk products."

"Emily, for you, I got a cucumber salad." JJ said, trying to be smooth. He and Emily had made eye contact a few times, and he was trying to show off a bit. "Tupperware is a remarkable thing. Cucumbers, garlic, tomatoes, shallots."

Emily was thrilled. "Organic?"

"Grew it in my brother's garden."

The swap was done in seconds. The meatloaf sandwich was traded for chocolate milk and crisps, which JJ traded for a Sloppy Joe.

JJ grinned. Life had become so much easier since he discovered the barter system. The usefulness of the system had spread quickly, and by lunchtime; Baseball cards, collectables, lunch, snacks and everything in between was going back and forth.

Plus, he got to spend the entire lunch break with Emily. She was looking for a new set of friends. Her father had suddenly been cleaned out by the economy, and her mother, and her friends had all suddenly realized that they were poor. Moving to Brooklyn was rough after living her whole life on Fifth Avenue, but it had awakened her to how hollow her life was.

JJ had a few suggestions.

* * *

Emily signed the last of the entry forms, as the receptionist smiled and slid her an ID Badge. "Welcome to the Planet Foundation." She said.

"Thank you." Emily fingered the badge, and wandered toward the Common Room. The walls had framed newspaper articles about things they had done in the Community, colorful info-graphics about environmental facts...

She was being watched by the members; who were working on small projects, watching movies, some were playing pool, or darts...

She paused as a man came up to her, holding out a hand for a handshake. "Hello. David Coulborn, I run International Organization from this local chapter of the Planet Foundation."

Emily shook his hand. "Emily Sturgess."

Coulborn smiled in a welcoming way. "Hello, Emily. You're new aren't you?"

Emily blushed a little at the attention. "Yessir."

Coulborn led her into the Common Rooms. "Well then, lets show you around. JJ?"

JJ turned around and saw Emily. He had a goofy grin on his face instantly. "Emily, you made it!"

Emily smiled, relieved to see someone she knew. "Hey, JJ."

JJ was staring.  _Blink! Don't stare! Blink your eyes JJ! Be cool, just this once. Move your eyelids up and down!_  "I'm glad you came." He said, trying to play it casual.

Emily shrugged, demurring a little. "I just joined up a few minutes ago. I… don't really know what I'm doing here."

"Oh good, you two know each other already." Coulborn said in relief. "JJ, I have to get to the studio. Can you handle things for a few hours?"

"I thought the show was tonight."

"It is, but they're filming a few things in advance."

"Of course I can handle it." JJ said easily, showing off a little.

"Thanks. Have a good time." Coulborn headed off.

Emily smiled at JJ. "You're a big shot around here, huh?"

"A little bit." JJ grinned. "Let me show you around, introduce you to a few people. It may not look like much, but it's real."

Emily was pleased with that. It was exactly what she was looking for.

* * *

The Planeteers were about as spread out as they'd ever been. Their 'Power is Yours' Campaign had sent them out across the world, and they covered more ground when they split up. Between missions, they continued their awareness campaign. Every now and then they appeared together for special events, or to plan out their next Mission.

Wheeler had taken a flight to his own personal appearance to New York, where he would meet up with the others. He was getting his bags from the Terminal when his cell phone rang. He checked the caller ID. "Karen Gillys, voice of a nightingale. What can we do for you today?"

Karen was smiling, he could tell. "I'm in the Congo; I've got a tip for you."

Wheeler stood upright swiftly. Karen was always chasing a story. She knew that The Planeteers were her best bet to get one. They had been good for her career, and she had repaid them by letting them know where they could be of use. "I'm listening."

"There are agreements in the Congo about logging. About which trees are protected. There are about half a dozen logging operations for the locals that don't belong to The Corporation. One of them is planning to move on some protected woods tomorrow night your time."

"Why then?"

"The woods in question are in a protected zone. After you shut down logging in the Amazon, lumber yards are freaking out."

"We noticed. They started sending armed guards along with their loggers." Wheeler put in.

* * *

The Planeteers always went on missions as a group. For 'The Power is Yours' campaign, they split up, going to as many different places as they could. As such, they had often had to co-ordinate their schedules with each other through Lizzie, or over the Internet.

At this it wasn't necessary, as they were all arriving at New York. Wheeler left word for all of them to meet him at the JFK Airport Lounge. Once they were all there, they picked a quiet spot, and he briefed them. "Karen says they have our schedule. The Charity Benefit for Green Tech in New York? They plan to do their work on the same day."

Gi shook her head. "These people aren't criminals. They're workers, trying to get money for their work."

"Areas for them to cut down trees have been defined. They're after protected lands so that they don't have to pay fees, and they're doing it tomorrow so that they don't risk facing us. We've been taking apart loggers and strip miners for months."

"And if we don't show up at the Fundraiser here in New York, all they have to do is hold off for twenty four hours." Linka put in.

Gi smirked tiredly. "Anyone remember the good old days when nobody knew who we were?"

"Nope." Wheeler laughed. Then froze. "Oh, damn!" He pulled out his phone and speed-dialed his brother.

"Hello?"

"JJ, listen…" Wheeler began.

"Bro! I forgot! I'm sorry!" JJ sounded horrified. "I'm so sorry! I'm still at the Planet Foundation meet. Something came up." His voice dropped. "Her name… is Emily. Isn't that a great name?"

Wheeler almost dropped the phone. "Yyyyeah."

"Forgive me?"

Wheeler was still trying to catch up. "Yeah. Ya Sure You Betcha."

"Thanks! And I  _will_  tape the show for you. See ya, Bro!"

They both hung up.

Linka was watching this out of the corner of her eye. "Everything okay with your brother?"

Wheeler looked blankly at everyone. "He was busy after all… Her name, apparently… is Emily."

Linka and Gi in particular found this to be very funny.

Kwame was openly sympathetic. "In the mood to set something on fire?"

"Oh hell yes."

* * *

_Humans mark time in events. Moments of change. Moments that change their lives, shake their perception. I mark time in stretches of life. I can remember back to the time when my continents were large and few. I remember the Calamity when fire and cold came from above and the great Beasts died. I remember when humanity stopped eating from my trees and began sowing their own crops._

_I too can become guilty of complacency. The Sin of Convenience is not exclusively one of Man. I too let things go too long because I did not pay attention. And now I am paying very close attention. The Humans are a beautiful thing. All that remains to be seen, is whether I will watch them in the future, or remember their loss._

_**Hahahaha** _ _._

_...what?_

_**Do you really think that you can save them?** _

_They can save themselves._

_**They will fail.** _

_Only time will tell. Why have you returned?_

_**You are the one who craves Balance in all things. Did you really think that giving Power such as this to barely mature humans would not demand an immediate equal and opposite reaction?** _

* * *

Karen Gillys had won a Pulitzer for getting the interview with Linka and Wheeler. She wondered sometimes if she won because her piece was that good, or because she was the only one to get screen time with the Planeteers up to then. On the whole, it didn't matter. She became one of the most talked about TV reporters of the Generation, and her career was set with Planeteer stories alone.

And they gave her plenty of news to work with.

And now, her network was running a special on the whole Planeteer phenomenon. Her interview was to open the TV Special, with plenty of clips included afterward.

For all their fame, there was very little in the way of footage of them using their abilities. They knew how difficult their job could be, and they kept the cameras away while they were on their missions. Karen had covered the after effects and the results of their Missions for months, and the Planeteers gave interviews, gathering public awareness whenever they could.

As such, she sometimes knew where they were better than their own families did. She was willing to play by their rules, and keep herself in their good graces. Such compromise had given her a lot of exclusive scoops on her competitors.

Today was no exception. The Planeteers were after loggers in the Congo, and they didn't dare put that on the news till they'd gotten away. Karen was there with them. Her press credentials had helped the Planeteers into unfriendly countries on more than one occasion, though that had to be kept secret, or she would be finished as a Journalist.

The Loggers were not part of The Corporation, and they knew that their funding came from lumber. Since the Planeteers had shut down a similar operation in the Amazon, several lumber yards had started sending along armed guards to protect their earth movers and lumberjacks.

Thus far, it hadn't helped.

Karen had booked herself and her cameraman into the nearest thing to a hotel the area had, and waited out the almost certain battle taking place in the nearby jungles.

In the meantime, her laptop was set to pickup a live feed from her network, and she waited for her cue.

* * *

Polly looked up as the door opened and slammed shut quickly. "Sorry! Sorrysorry!" JJ was breathing hard.

Polly was nonplussed. "Where have you been?"

"I was with Emily, and we hung out and we talked about the city, and we talked about school, and then we got pizza and she got vegetarian because she's vegan, and then we went to the arcade and then we-"

"Whoa, back up." Polly stopped him. "Who's Emily?"

JJ calmed down swiftly. "Did I miss the show?"

"Just starting."

* * *

In Africa, Natali and Matali hurried to get themselves situated. The clinic at the Mission had become part of the Global Planet Foundation network, in honor of the personal connection between the Clinic and Kwame's late sister. They were getting global attention and funding for the first time since it opened, and as Kwame's friends, they took over his volunteer work there.

"What time is it in America?" Natali demanded. "According to the website, the show was at 8pm, 7pm Central. What is that to us?"

Matali checked his watch. "It should be starting soon. Hurry!"

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"Good evening, this is Dan Pierce with a Special Edition of KBX Broadcast News. Every year, we like to look back and explore the events of the last twelve months. Though we are in July, this week marks a milestone in world history. The whole world was stunned when the face of the Planet changed. First reports suggested it may be the end of the world. Next reports staggered the domain of the possible. Market trading was suspended within two hours of the news, global tensions spiked, and war was all but inevitable for a day. And even now, with questions answered and tensions cooled, there are no satisfactory answers to the questions left. Today marks the six-month anniversary of the Hope Island Phenomenon.

Everybody can remember where they were the day the world reported that there was a new mysterious Island, appeared spontaneously in the ocean. Reactions to the discovery of the Planeteers and their message have been varied in the extreme. Six months later, and it's clear they're here to stay. Here at KBX Broadcasting, our own experience that day was as unique as anyone else, with the near loss of our own Karen Gillys. Karen?"

* * *

Karen picked up her microphone as her Cameraman cued her. "Thanks Dan. It's been six months since I reported the arrival of Hope Island. In the months that followed, I've covered the Planeteers working across the globe; I've interviewed all of them at least once, and I've covered reactions to the, quite literally, Earth-Shaking event. Everyone has a story to tell and an opinion to share, from the Vatican to The Corporation, to the previous leaders in ecological reform; and the man in the street. It's no exaggeration to say that they've taken over a significant portion of my career."

"Now Karen, you've worked closely with them for the last few months, what's your opinion on the situation?" He said in her earphone.

"I've covered charities, I've interviewed resistance fighters, and I've spoken to foreign aid directors. Working with the Planeteers is like all of them put together. Their frustration at getting sidetracked and blocked from their cause is matched only by their determination to let nothing stop them."

"Karen, some detractors say that's the problem."

"Dan, the early opposition to the Planeteers came from the business sectors, worried that having a more militant opposition to resource harvesting might affect profits negatively. That opposition has been more or less put to the side because it hasn't happened. The current opposition comes from people who are worried for worker safety, or for international incidents."

"What do you think?"

"I think these people come from all over the world. They don't have a political agenda. How could they? I covered the story when aid was prevented from reaching war-torn areas on security concerns, and political reasons. Georgia, Syria, Gaza. The Planeteers don't have that problem. Their leader, if they have one, is African. None of them come from the same continent, let alone the same government. Plus they're all civilians, and they live on a newly colonized land in International Waters, recognized as an island nation that has no political power at all."

"So the threat of international incident is not widely considered a problem any more. What about the other worry you mentioned. You said that some quarters are concerned about worker safety."

"Yes I did. Since they're still going after illegal strip-mining as a priority, that's not a big deal yet, but in some isolated cases, they have gone after legitimate loggers, some legal chemical dumping… Their powers are well documented. Some people who work in these fields are understandably concerned."

"Worried about being cut down by their superpowers?"

Karen allowed herself a smile. "Remember when that was crazy talk?"

"Is it crazy talk now?"

"No." Karen said with certainty. "The things they can do are real. I've seen it. So have thousands of others."

* * *

Gi's mother Yumi came into the living room and yawned hugely, sitting next to her husband at the table. He never took his eyes off the TV. "What'd I miss?"

"Just that reporter lady, talking about them." Gi's father Kim said.

"It's not unusual for celebrities to have causes, or for them to use their fame as a spotlight on serious issues today." The anchor was saying on TV. "What sets the Planeteers apart is that they became famous for the cause they were pursuing."

"That and they conjured an Island into the middle of the ocean." Yumi mumbled around a mouthful of tea.

"You managed to talk your daughter into telling you how they did that, yet?" Kim demanded.

"They're sticking with their Gaia story." Yumi murmured. "Why is it that anytime Gi does something you don't understand or agree with, she suddenly becomes 'my' daughter?"

Kim shushed her, and they returned their attention to the TV.

* * *

"There's been a lot said on the subject of what makes them stand apart." The anchor was saying. "But perhaps the most startling difference is the direction they take their cause. To tell us more, we have with us tonight, Director David Coulborn of the Planeteer Foundation, a not-for-profit organization started in honor of the Planeteer Movement. Mr. Coulborn, thank you for joining us."

"Glad to be here."

"You are the Director of the local chapter of the Planeteer Foundation. An organization that started up after the Hope Island Phenomenon, and has been described as a more influential youth organization than the Boy Scouts of America."

"That's true, but it's not an accurate statement. The Foundation is not limited to America; it has chapters opening all over the world. Secondly, it's not a youth organization. It's open to anyone who wants to join. There is no age requirement, no fees to pay. We have some divisions that focus on young people, such as the 'World Watchers' but they are largely focused on community services and education. Most every member takes part in local and personal awareness campaigns and they go home and make changes for themselves."

"Now, you say it's not a youth organization, but clearly the majority of your members are under eighteen."

"As a percentage, that's true." Coulborn conceded. "But that number is still going up every day. We had several thousand members signing on within the first two weeks. Sometimes whole families join up at a time. Adults too. There's a higher percentage of youth, because when they want to do something, they often need a support mechanism. Adults just do it themselves."

"Tell us about the connection between your group, and the Planeteers."

"They were instrumental in starting us up, but to be fair, we're largely independent of them. We have the same purpose. And that, I think is the point. No fees, no demands. Just an opportunity to get a lot of people together, teach them about some of the problems that face the world today, and give them a way to help out in their local area."

"The Clean Up New York Campaign has been getting some very positive attention."

"We've been turning empty lots into community gardens, we've pledged recycling campaigns, and taken part in volunteer programs designed to clean up the Hudson River, Central Park, and the West Side. That's our group specifically, but there are plenty of others doing the same across the world. The Planeteers aren't bound by state lines, and neither are we."

"Some critics of your group say that you're practically setting up a cult of personality around the Planeteers themselves."

"I wouldn't say that, no more than any other A-List stars anyway. The difference is that the Planeteers have been spending a lot of their celebrity on individual actions. Kids can see the news as well as anyone else can; and they can pretend it's somebody else's problem just as well as we do. They, and adults, and for that matter, me myself, find the idea that you can do something to help very appealing."

"We all remember the now famous Planeteer Campaign."

"The Power Is Yours." Coulborn quoted with a smile.

"That phrase has become something of a rallying cry in your organization."

"Mine and many others. We're making a difference in the world, and we're still growing. Household waste and power consumption in New York has dropped significantly. We're actually seeing a difference! Our local members have organized a weekend trip to upstate New York for another Clean Up America, as well as restoring some park land that has been cut down and damaged over the years."

* * *

Polly leaned over on the couch, trying not to distract the boy. "You're remembering to be careful about needles and stuff right?"

JJ nodded. "They teach us all about cleanup stuff pretty good. They're pretty careful about things like that. I'm learning a lot from them."

"You told Wheels you're a member yet?"

"He knows. He's thrilled." JJ took a bite of popcorn. "But I'm still going to Hope Island sooner or later."

Polly didn't have an answer for that.

* * *

"Mr. Coulborn, thank you for coming, and good luck in the future."

"Thank you."

"Not all attention has been favorable of course. Controversy surrounds the formation of Hope Island, the numerous arrests made in the days that followed, and the investigations that followed on the USS Saratoga. Here with us now to discuss the arrest of Alexander Appius, Former CEO of The Corporation, who'll you remember was voted out and turned over to police by his own Board of directors; to say nothing of the numerous conspiracy theories that followed, is our panel of Legal Experts..."

* * *

Lizzie was watching the TV with half an eye, following the coverage. The Planeteers were some of the most talked about celebrities she'd ever handled, and more than a few people had spoken out against them just to get their pictures on TV.

But the controversies about the Corporation refused to go away. There were still a lot of conspiracy theories about the deals that must have been made, and what the whole story really was. Lizzie knew there was more to the story than had been made public, but she had the good sense not to ask.

Then her phone beeped and she had a much more difficult day ahead of her.

* * *

"Earth!"

The ground rumbled and the workers dove clear as the bulldozer tilted sharply, the earth under its treads simply falling away.

Kwame dove behind cover as the guards took another shot at him. He moved down the length of the stone wall barricade, the rock flowing upward from the earth as he ran along behind it in a crouch. The wall of rock kept pace with him amazingly, guarding him from the incoming fire.

A moment later Wheeler dove over the rock wall to join him, hugging dirt.

Kwame paused and hauled him up to sit upright against it.

"I'm okay! I'm okay!" Wheeler assured him. "I lost the girls!"

 _They are with me. They are safe._  Ma-Ti's voice whispered gently in their minds.

"We had a simple plan, didn't we?" Wheeler asked Kwame in outrage. "A simple, easy to figure out plan. How come it never goes smooth?"

Kwame sent Wheeler a calming look. "Nothing ever goes according to plan Wheeler." He gestured over their barricade. "They had charges set in the tree-line! They knew we were coming!"

"We have a bigger problem than that! The charges set off a fire."

_Wheeler! We need cover!_

Wheeler peeked up over the edge of the wall Kwame had made, and spied two of the guards. "Fire!"

The attackers were surprised as their weapons grew red hot in their hands, and panicked when they realized the flames were in the weapons. They threw them aside quickly as the machine guns exploded into flames, the gunpowder in their magazines catching alight and exploding.

It gave Gi and Linka enough time to dive over the wall to join their team-mates.

"Where's Ma-Ti?" Kwame asked sharply.

"Please! I can't keep track of that kid when there  _isn't_ somebody shooting at me!" Gi retorted.

"Gi, we have to get those fires out or we'll do more damage than the damn loggers would!" Wheeler snapped. "What's our best bet for water?"

"There's a creek coming from that ridge." Kwame put in. "Ground water, it's not too deep or fast…"

"I know, I know! Linka!" Gi said urgently. "I can't get to the fires! Smoke's too thick!"

"Wind!" Linka called, and a strong wind kicked up briefly, sending the smoke toward their opponents, blinding them. The wind was guided, keeping the thick black smoke together as it was sent toward their foes.

They four of them ducked as more bullets came over the barricade Kwame had conjured. And then the roar of an engine. It was getting closer, suddenly close enough to be heard over the flames.

Kwame raised his head enough to get a look and ducked again as bullets whistled past. "They've got one of the earth-movers going. They steered it this way!"

"I've got it!" Wheeler growled, and rose to attack. "FI-"

Kwame tackled him back down as more gunfire rang out. "They know where we are! They'll keep us down till the bulldozer runs us over!"

"Should we make a break for it?" Gi asked anxiously as the bulldozer engine got louder and louder on its approach.

"No cover!" Linka disagreed. "They'd shoot us down as we ran."

They were still trying to figure out what to do when another roar came from the burning tree line. Out of trees exploded almost half a dozen Rhinos, Ma-Ti riding the lead one. They charged the earth-mover, scattering its guards and slamming into the huge machine like living battering rams. One heavy crunch, then a second, then a third, and the treads broke, the machine left stuck as the engine whined uselessly.

The gunmen got back to their feet, aiming at Ma-Ti with their weapons.

Kwame was up instantly. "Earth!"

The guards aiming at Ma-Ti dropped suddenly, as the ground beneath their feet gaze way. As the dust settled, the fallen guards looked up blearily to find themselves trapped in a pit, twelve feet deep, which had appeared suddenly beneath them.

Rising to their feet, the Planeteers took stock of the battlefield. The earth-movers had all been destroyed or abandoned, and the guards were either trapped, or running for their lives.

"They're backing off! It's over! It's over." Kwame shouted. "Let them go! We have to get this fire out before it spreads to the forest."

Wheeler took off for the nearest edge of the fire. "I can make a fire ring while Gi heads for the creek."

"Gi, you and I will divert the creek this way where you can use it. Linka, you help Wheeler direct the fire away from the trees! Ma-Ti, get the forest creatures clear, check on the injured, and make sure the healthy don't come back this way!"

"And make it fast!" Gi called cheerfully. "Dinner's at seven!"

The Planeteers almost laughed at that, as dawn broke over the forest.


	2. Life of a Planeteer

Lizzie Quinn was a hard woman to predict or understand. On any given day you never knew how she'd react to anything. Working Public Relations for the Planeteers meant having a variety of skills. One minute she'd be accepting an award on their behalf, other times she'd be putting the best spin she could on burning factories and fleeing workers in the jungle somewhere. On the bad days, she had to remind herself how many hoops she had to jump through just to get in a room with The Planeteers, let alone get them to accept her as a Public Relations Agent, given how their first instinct was to avoid the spotlight. Given some of the people she had in her phone book now, and some of the things she had seen and helped do, it was more than worth the tough days.

Tonight however, was to be a good deal easier, as long as her clients  _showed up_.

A number of operations that caused environmental damage skirted with the strictest letter of the law on what they could and could not do. The Planeteers watched these shades of grey like a hawk, waiting for something they could hit, in any country, at any time.

The Planeteers had a public schedule of course. Rarely did a week go by without them involved in some project, some clean-up. Lizzie had been taking in invitations from every direction. The one rule that the Planeteers had, was that it had to avoid politics. The five of them were from different countries, and had long been walking the tightrope, doing their best not to take anyone's side. They were focused on the goal, not on who was helping them, or who was supporting them.

The public schedule said that they were going to be in New York all weekend, helping a clean-up of the Hudson River, before coming to a fund-raiser for Green Technology at the hotel Grand that night. When Lizzie got there, she had been informed by the Hotel Staff that the Planeteers had chartered a flight to the Congo, to stop some loggers over a full day before. The plan to tear down the trees had been scheduled to happen exactly when the Planeteers were supposed to be in New York, on camera. By the time anyone found out, the trees would have been cut down and the lumber would have been sold.

It didn't work. The Planeteers were on them before anyone knew they were away from New York. The Geo-Cruiser was still parked off Staten Island, with the celebrity watchers keeping an eye on it. As far as anyone knew, the five of them hadn't left town.

Lizzie suspected Karen Gillys of letting them know what was happening on the far side of the world. The reporter would have loved to get a new Planeteer story beyond a photo-op at a gala event.

Lizzie was rehearsing her apology on behalf of the Planeteers for not showing up, when her cell-phone beeped. She checked.

_Just landed. Bring our clothes to the hotel, we'll meet you there!_  – K.

Letting out a breath of relief, she went to get their evening-ware delivered to the Hotel Grand Chancellor, hoping none of them had any bandages that would draw attention.

* * *

The Plaza Hotel Ballroom was large enough for a fund-raiser, and the hotel expensive and exclusive enough to keep it from becoming a circus. One of the benefits of being a global celebrity was that when you needed a room to freshen up in before the ball, you were given a five star suite; and the staff didn't so much as blink if you looked like you'd just come from a war-zone.

The Planeteers were given a large suite and cleaned up, gotten changed and checked to see if their scrapes and bruises were visible. Lizzie had sent their invitations and their clothes for the event direct to the hotel, and the Concierge had discreetly taken care of the arrangements to sneak them upstairs through the car park entrance. Since the Lumber Company wouldn't want to admit that they'd been trying to tear down an isolated part of the Congo jungles, there wouldn't be an official report, and with a little luck, nobody would know they were ever gone.

Kwame had to admit to feeling like he was on a roller-coaster. He could handle trying times better than most. He'd handled plenty of them in his life. But the whole story of his life had a Spy Movie feel to it these days. Life and death struggle in the morning, formal banquet dinner by night.

* * *

Wheeler had changed and showered so fast his hair was still wet, when he came downstairs to the waiting room, with his tie in one hand, jacket in the other, and stopped dead. Linka was already there waiting for him and the others, wearing a sky blue, backless, and floor length gown. He let out a low whistle.

Linka smirked slightly and told herself she wasn't  _really_  posing for him. "You like it?"

Silence. After a few moments Wheeler stopped staring and looked at her face. "Sorry. What?"

Linka smiled secretly, as the door opened again, and Gi came in. Her dress was floor length, off the shoulder, and a dark rich blue. She was smiling like Cinderella. "Isn't this great?"

Wheeler pulled the jacket on, adjusted his bright red cummerbund. "Never been to a Black Tie event before."

"Me neither." The girls admitted in unison.

"You would have thought we'd be invited to at least one before now." Gi put in.

"Nobody was sure of what to do with us. Most still aren't. I hear we were put on the guest list deliberately for this one."

"Maybe it's a surprise party." Wheeler quipped.

Kwame and Ma-Ti came in. Kwame was wearing a Tux, with a handsome green cummerbund, and Ma-Ti was dressed in his usual woven shirt and khaki cargo shorts.

Kwame was holding a tie in one hand. Wheeler held out his own tie. "Can you help me with this?"

Kwame held up his own bow-tie and shrugged. "I was hoping you could."

Linka chuckled. "Well don't look at me. Why do men think it's classy to tie a knot around their own necks?"

"I hear ya." Wheeler agreed, staring at the tie in his hands helplessly.

Gi snorted. "How do you guys even leave the island?" She reached out, took the tie off Kwame, whipped it around his neck, tied it expertly, cinched it up, and proceeded to do the same thing for Wheeler before anyone could blink. "Ha! Geeks Rule."

"I was just about to do that myself." Wheeler offered.

Kwame glanced to Ma-Ti. "It doesn't bother you that you'll stand out dressed like that?"

Ma-Ti shrugged. "Plenty of people will be wearing expensive clothes in there. Choosing not to is nothing to be ashamed of."

Kwame chose not to push it, as it was hardly the strangest thing Ma-Ti had ever come out with; and Lizzie Quinn chose that moment to step into the room. "Hey, look at you!" She fired off with her usual enthusiasm. "Oh yeah. YeahYeahYeah, you guys scrub up great! How you feeling tonight? Like the clothes?"

"I was worried about the backless dress, but I think I look okay." Linka mused.

"Just okay?" Wheeler began.

"I'm anticipating every possible response you can make, and I find none of them amusing." Linka said sharply, and then checked herself in the mirror again. "If nothing else it might kill those anorexia rumors People Magazine keep running."

"I told you to finish that cheeseburger!" Wheeler quipped.

Gi smirked cannily at her. "Liz, if you don't mind my saying, I can't help but notice how you selected some interesting evening-wear for us." She pointed to the each in turn. "Dark Blue and Light Blue for the gowns, Red and Green for the cummerbunds… You picked the colors of our Rings."

Lizzie shrugged. "They suit you. It's all about image, right?" She flipped open the program for the evening. "The part is in the Ballroom, you go in through the lobby. That's where the press are, you'll be announced at the entrance to the Ballroom. You're familiar with the schedule?"

"We get introduced, we wave to the cameras, we have dinner; at the end of the night we thank people for their donations." Linka sped through it. "How soon can we get out of here without hurting the donations?"

Lizzie was taken aback by that. She sent Wheeler a look.

The American glared at her lightly. "Linka, you are a case study in obsessive behavior. We aren't going to do anything tonight that we can't do, while we enjoy ourselves."

Linka sighed. "So everyone keeps telling me."

Kwame adjusted his tie. "There's press here, too?"

"Society pages mainly, taking photos of all the celebrities and all the ball-gowns."

"You'll make sure I get some 8x10 Glamor shots of Linka right?" Wheeler quipped.

"Wheeler..." Gi warned him lightly.

"No, let him have it. Wallet sizes too." Linka teased. "Me in a backless dress is never gonna happen again."

Gi laughed and turned back to Kwame. "There's press here, but they'll just ask about tonight's goals, and such. Just be light about it. Enjoy the party."

"Actually, there's a few serious reporters here. The guys who organized the event asked for them specifically. They'll have an open bar, so they'll be quick. A few quotes, a handshake, enjoy your meal."

Kwame shivered. "One thing I never get used to."

The other Planeteers felt for him. One side effect of being a celebrity was that nothing you said was ever forgotten. Kwame had answered questions before, and had them thrown back in his face ever since. Lizzie had worked with him, convinced him to ignore that.

"They'll ask you about Somalia." Gi said. "It's been reported as a weather problem. Drought causes famine. They'll ask you why we haven't gone there."

"The drought in Somalia has been going for a long time, it's not like if we went there right now and tried to conjure a rainstorm, they'd eat. If anything, it'll just wash away all the dry dirt, and it'd still be months before any more food grew."

"I agree, I'm just saying they'll ask you about it." Gi tapped her newspaper. "Texas is currently in the middle of a massive heatwave. Over a hundred consecutive days over 100 Degrees. They'll ask you about Texas, and about Australia."

"What's going on in Australia? More drought?"

"Actually, now they call it a 'Permanent Dry'. Calling it a 'Drought' implies that it's gonna stop at some point."

Lizzie was about to elaborate when her phone beeped again. "I have to take that, so I will leave you now." She said brightly. "Anyway, the emcee tonight will come and collect you. You're celebrities, so you'll have to be announced when you come in, with the other VIP's. You get the best tables. The others are running a few minutes late. A delegation from The Corporation. They're funding the event." She said, on her way out of the room. "See you after the party; love ya!"

There was a beat of silence as the door closed.

"Whaaaaaat?" Gi squawked. "Did she just say…? When did that happen?"

Kwame sighed heavily. "Can anyone else remember a time when we stopped polluters and taught people to live better?"

"Vaguely." Someone quipped back.

The Planeteers froze as the door opened again.

Vernan Stumm came in, adjusted his tux, and smiled broadly at them. And on his left, wearing a stunning evening-wear dress that showed off every curve was Bligh. Her eyes went straight to Gi, and turned ice cold. Stumm had been a Board Member for the Corporation, and had tipped them off to an illegal drilling operation. The Planeteers had destroyed the Mobile Oil Rig, and exposed the operation to the world. Stumm had used it as a chance to seize control of the largest economic and social force the world had seen. Bligh was second in command of the operation, and had been The Planeteers' jailer on the Rig. She had apparently been an informant for Stumm, now his head of security. There had been casualties when The Planeteers managed to escape, and Bligh had very nearly been one of them, but she had escaped, leaving the majority of her crew to die, including the ship's captain.

For a time, they just stared at each other, and only Stumm seemed to be completely at ease. He ruled this room, as he did every other he walked into. It was the first time they had been in a room with Stumm since the day he told them about the Rig, and the first time they had seen Bligh since their imprisonment and... examinations on the illegal Rig.

"Good to see you all again." Stumm drawled. "How are you enjoying the party?"

"Was enjoying it a lot more five minutes ago." Wheeler sneered. "I was going to ask who you bribed to look like a great humanitarian. Then I realized: Everyone!"

Bligh stopped glaring at Gi long enough to glance at Wheeler. "Your attitude hasn't improved. How are the ribs?" She taunted.

"Settle down Bligh." Strum told her gently.

"You too Wheeler." Kwame put in.

There was a beat as they all cooled off, through Bligh kept glaring at them all.

"The Plaza Hotel again?" Kwame said finally. "I thought it was a coincidence; but if you organized the night…"

"They know me here." Stumm said lightly.

"Not like we do." Wheeler growled at Bligh.

"Try to see beyond the job, would you?" Stumm said. "Who do you think is paying for this party? Who do you think got all these donors together? Your grand mission to save the world will get a huge popularity boost and a fortune in donations tonight. It's a good night for you."

Beat.

"Why would you do this?" Kwame offered slowly. "I'm assuming you're the one who put us on the guest list, if you're the ones organizing the event. You have to know that the longer we are in the same room, the more likely someone will recognize the connection between us."

"People are already aware of the connection between us." Stumm said easily. "I made it public knowledge that you were the good guys."

"Yeah, but you only did that to get control of The Corporation." Linka spat.

"So what if I did?" If Stumm was at all concerned, it didn't show. "I'm not your enemy."

"She is." Wheeler said, pointing at Bligh.

"Not necessarily."

"No, I am." Bligh said honestly. Her glare at Gi intensified. "Especially that one."

"Simmer down." Stumm said sharply. "Bligh works for me, Planeteers. I have no quarrel with any of you. I told you when we met that hated my predecessor and the way he did things. I wanted to do it better, and do it myself. I saw an opportunity to remove him, by giving you something you wanted in return. You five got world attention and I got this job. It was a good deal. Look around; tonight I plan to make millions of dollars for you and your cause. Another good deal. There's no reason we can't be allies."

Wheeler was about to set Bligh's dress on fire, just a little bit, just for fun; when a phone rang.

"That's me; I have to take this call." Stumm said, and quietly slipped out of the room.

Bligh did not. Five Planeteers were in a staring contest with Bligh, and she was staring them all down. "So. Here we are again."

Gi tensed, and looked down. She couldn't meet the woman's gaze. "Did you kill Dennis Edger?" She said softly.

Bligh seemed confused by that one. "Who?"

"The Ranger in ANWR. Was that you?"

Bligh reached into her purse, and drew out something small and electronic. She pushed a button or two on it, and Gi felt her cell-phone beep. She checked it. Switched off.

Bligh put her little tool away and smirked. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Wheeler seethed, and stepped in behind Gi, giving support silently. "Don't think we're on the same side here. We don't work for you."

"I know this."

"Sooner or later we'll be coming after you again."

"You should have killed us when you had the chance." Wheeler sneered.

Bligh sent Gi a look that would strip paint. "Ditto."

Gi looked down again. "I'm sorry I almost drowned you."

Bligh sneered. "You didn't almost drown me. You succeeded. Took my men three minutes to make me cough."

Gi shivered.

"And the time is gonna come, when I thank you. Properly." Bligh said, slow, soft and cruel, like she was enjoying a delicious thought.

Stumm had returned. "Bligh. That's enough." He looked to the Planeteers. "You told me once, that you didn't want to work with me because you didn't trust me. Most all my allies don't trust me. We are on the same side for as long as it's convenient, just like everyone else in the world. I don't hold a grudge."

"Plus, you still want to know how our Rings work." Wheeler pointed out cannily.

Stumm shrugged. "Oh, that. No, I already know how they work."

Kwame smirked a little. "You do?"

Stumm nodded. "They work as Conduits for the Elemental Powers of Gaia. That's why they only work with you, and why they have no detectable power source. She, if such a thing could be considered a She, gave you access to Her abilities because she wanted a human will to find a solution to her problem; thus commissioning the five of you for a mission to save the world from men like me."

Stunned, the Planeteers stared at him.

"Well…" Wheeler said finally. "That's… close."

Stumm grinned evilly. "I wish I had a picture of your faces right now."

The knock at the door made them all jump, but it was just Lizzie poking her head back in. "Hey guys, they're ready for you now. The party can't really start without you." Her phone beeped again. "Ahh, I'm gonna flush this thing down the toilet one day!" She looked at the screen, and her face suddenly turned to stone. "Yeah. Go to the party; I have to take this."

And then she was gone again, and the Planeteers were left alone with their enemies again.

"Assuming you were correct, how did you learn any of that?" Kwame asked carefully.

Stumm grinned. "There's more than one way to get anywhere Kwame. Let's go enjoy the party."

* * *

"Mr Deka!" The reporters started shouting as The Planeteers filed in. "What are you hoping to achieve tonight?"

Kwame took the question. "Since Hope Island, we've been working to raise awareness about the dangers our planet is in. Awareness is no longer an issue. The Climate Reality Project put out a full 24 hour broadcast with information about Climate problems, and solutions, from 24 time zones around the world, free for everyone to watch. Some people rented out movie theaters to show as many people as they could."

Stumm stepped in next to Kwame. "That's right. By the time the live broadcast finished, over 8.6 million people saw it. By now the whole world knows. The people swearing that there is no Climate problem seem more and more ridiculous with each passing day. The next step is to find solutions. For all the effort that the Planeteers have put into teaching people to take individual actions, tackling big problems is easier with resources, and that's what tonight's fundraiser is all about."

The Press were busily snapping photos of the two of them, and so they missed the hooded looks the other Planeteers were giving Stumm behind his back.

The Press had their quote, and their photos, and they all made their way into the ballroom where the party was happening in earnest.

"That went well." Stumm said easily. "When we're on the same side, we work very well together, don't we?"

"And when we are not on the same side?" Kwame probed.

"Kwame, I told you, I don't hold grudges. I'm a businessman. When I see a chance at a profit, I take it. What profit is there in being your enemy?"

Kwame didn't push it then, but he knew that Stumm hadn't answered the question.

* * *

The ballroom was beautiful, with tables set around the outer edge of the room. At the head of the room was a podium, used for little more than announcing arriving guests. The head of the room was taken up by a live band, which played soft, light-hearted music non-stop. The VIP Tables had the best view of both, and there were two of them. One for the Planeteers, the other for Stumm and his little delegation from The Corporation.

The two VIP tables were at the sides of the room in relative privacy, opposite each other. Kwame couldn't figure out why they were the VIPs on a guest list with so many A-Level stars, but when Stumm arrived, he knew why. None of it was a coincidence.

The speeches were simple enough. Nobody said anything worth writing about. It was a photo-op, nothing official. The story was having all the celebrities in the room for a fund-raiser. But they had deep pockets, and were eager to show their character, and the money would go to the right people. Everyone took it as a victory.

The meal was excellent, the atmosphere perfect, and somebody had the good sense to put The Planeteers and the head of the Corporation at different tables. The five of them were enjoying themselves, glad to have some time free after the morning's Mission.

The toasts were kept strictly to the emcee, and he was gracious, giving kudos for the evening to the Hotel, the guests of honor, and the Organizers from The Corporation. And then Stumm stood up and returned the toast. "First, I would like to thank our hosts and our guests for the generosity and their efforts here tonight. I won't claim to have the moral high ground on matters like pollution, but I care deeply on the subject, just as you do, and I have an enormous technology base on which to offer solutions."

People murmured. Something was happening. This was not the vacant toast that all the others had been making.

While speaking, he moved to the front of the room, no longer toasting the crowd, but making a speech. "There's a lot of work to do. Nobody knows this better than The Planeteers, who have dedicated their lives to a desperate, some would say hopeless mission, based on nothing but their desires to do good. I cannot in conscience allow them to do it alone. Though I do not have a magic wand, I have at least a new idea. As Gi Takashi is so fond of saying, new ideas can change the world."

The Planeteers plastered smiles on their faces. He was doing it again. He was making himself immune to their criticism by giving them the credit.

"With that in mind, I'd like to present to you the latest creation of The Corporation's Earth-Link. Our Eco-Based Think-Tank has come up with something that will make it so much easier to solve a hard-to define problem. With all the talk about Climate Change and CO2, it's easy to forget that it's not the only thing poisoning the world."

The cameras started flashing faster. The reporters present were from the society papers, none of them were real hard hitting journalists. The photographers however, were freelance. They knew a story building when they saw one.

"To that end, I am pleased to announce the creation of... The Reclaimer. A dramatic name, but a descriptive one too. The new facility is being built even now, in upstate New York. It's well known that you're not supposed to toss batteries with regular garbage. As batteries corrode and age, they leech acids and other chemicals that do far more damage to the earth and its waterways. But batteries are omnipresent in the world, and most people, me included, simply can't be bothered. Our Think Tank has come up with a solution. A way to reclaim and recycle battery sludge. A way to save money for corporations, including my own, a way to help the world by turning a useless waste that inevitably does damage, into a useful source of revenue."

The Planeteers clapped louder and harder than anyone, but inside they seethed. Ma-Ti spoke to them privately. I can hear you.

_He's doing it again!_  Wheeler shouted.

_No, he's doing what a responsible head of a Global Corporation should do._ Kwame returned _. He's using his resources to create something better, and innovate a better solution. This is exactly what we've been trying to get him and others like him to do since we started._

_He's only doing it to make more money._ Linka countered swiftly.

_So what? We aren't a business or a political movement. Do we care who gets the money? Gaia cares nothing for money. Our job is not to decide who makes a profit, only to change how things are being done._

Stumm wasn't finished. "Planeteers, I invite you to join me personally for the Grand Opening of The Reclaimer, one week from today in Upstate New York. I can think of nobody more welcome in a move to help the planet."

More applause.

The announcement made and the photos taken, Stumm slipped off to the side to answer questions and give quotes to the press. Bligh went with him, keeping guard, and the evening progressed on schedule.

"So what happens now?" Gi asked quietly.

Kwame checked. "According to the night's program, there is to be dancing."

Gi tensed as the music started to play, and people cleared the dance floor. "Oh. Joy."

Wheeler sent her a look. "You knew that this was coming. Right?"

"Well... yeah, but I didn't think I'd have to dance myself." Gi flushed.

"We're the guests of honor. We're pretty much expected to start the dancing off ourselves."

The announcer spoke, warm and inviting. "And now that the band has cared to indulge us, if someone would like to start-"

Linka leaned forward swiftly in her seat and licked up Wheeler's ear. The American nearly levitated out of his seat with a high-pitched yell; and the spotlight swung around to catch him.

"Ah! We have a volunteer! James 'Wheeler' Johnston, one of our favorite celebrity guests!"

Applause rang out politely as the band shifted smoothly a slow jazzy rendition of 'Moonlight Becomes You'.

Feeling trapped, Wheeler made the best of it, turning out and holding out his arm to Linka, who waved him off immediately. The camera's ate it up.

Taking it in stride, Wheeler left their table, picked a movie star and made the offer. This time it was accepted, and the dancing began, other couples coming out on the dance floor to meet them.

"Well..." Kwame said in amusement. "In any event, Wheeler can only carry the dance so far. Gi, I know you're not wild about the idea, but..."

Gi flushed. "Kwame, I never learned how to dance."

"Me neither." Kwame said honestly.

Gi took his hand and they both stood up. "Well then, as long as you don't expect me to make you look good."

Linka did her best to look uninterested as the rest of her team went out of the dance floor. Ma-Ti was still in his seat next to her, swaying to the music like a cobra did to a snake-charmer. Linka looked at Gi. She looked happy, arms around Kwame, not really dancing, but swaying with him. Wheeler looked to be enjoying himself too, glancing back at her every few minutes. She tried not to stare at them. She looked to Ma-Ti finally. "What about you? I can't imagine you'd step on any toes. You don't feel the need to slow dance with someone?"

Ma-Ti answered without looking at her. "I'm five years younger and two feet shorter than anyone else on the team, and a lot younger still compared with the majority of the room. Who would I dance with?"

Linka chuckled. "I suppose so."

Wheeler sent another look back at the table and ended his dance by giving the woman he was with a dip. He looked a question to Linka, and she turned away slightly in response, discouraging him.

"It kills him when you do that, you know." Ma-Ti finally looked at Linka. "Why didn't you just admit you can't dance either?"

"No. I couldn't." Linka vowed quickly.

"Why not?" Ma-Ti asked.

"Because I would rather die than ever give in to Wheeler on anything, ever." Linka said with heat.

He didn't seem the least surprised. "And why is that?"

"You know what he's like. He's so competitive." Linka sneered lightly.

* * *

"Gi, how long till we get to Hope Island?" Kwame asked.

"Five minutes less since the last time you asked." Gi responded from the front seat.

"And another thing!" Wheeler interrupted. "Where the hell did you think that licking me would be a good prank?"

"It worked!" Linka shot back. A cell phone rang. Linka pulled hers out of her pocket and answered it. "Hello? Ruby!" She beamed. Since the small almost town on the edge of the Great Siberian Forest was Linka's hometown, it had been enjoying the effects of celebrity too. The small supermarket was now regularly stocked, and the small home-school for the local children was brought up to date, and Linka had splurged, giving Ruby and her Grandmother a satellite phone so that they could keep in touch. "Yeah, I'm still on the Geo-Cruiser."

The others smiled.

"Your homework?" Linka looked trapped for a second. "Uh…the area of a parallelogram is…"

"Height times width." Gi called from the front seat.

"Height times width." Linka repeated into her phone, and then listened for a while. "I miss you too, sweetie." Linka said warmly. "We'll be back the Island soon, and I'll call you then, I promise. Love you." She hung up, smiling warmly, and turned swiftly on Wheeler without missing a beat. "And by the way, Yankee; what shampoo do you use? Tasted like peaches." She taunted.

Kwame and Gi fought to hide their giggles. If Ma-Ti was aware of the conversation at all, it didn't show.

"She can turn it off and on like a switch, can't she?" Wheeler complained to the front row before turning back on her. "You could have at least danced with me  _once_  tonight!"

" _That's_  what you're mad about?"

"I'm just saying, if you were going to push me off a cliff like that..."

"You seemed to get over it pretty quick." Linka retorted.

"Well what did you expect me to do? Clutch at my broken heart and run from the room in tears at your rejection?"

"Broken heart. Nuclear Winter couldn't break your heart!" Linka snorted.

"Hey! I'll have you know I'm a lot more mature and sensitive to other people than I was before you lunatics came into my life."

Linka reached over and yanked open his dinner jacket. "HEY!"

Linka pulled out his cell phone. "How do you work the speaker phone on this thing?" Linka mumbled to herself.

Wheeler lunged. "Gimme that back!"

"Would you two quit wrestling back there?" Gi shouted. "You're going to flip us all over!"

"Yes  _mom_!"

Linka hit the right button; and his messages played. A series of female voices played. BEEP. "Hey Tiger. I saw you on the news yesterday. You looked good. Call me." BEEP. "Hey Wheeler. I got an offer from a tabloid to talk about some old memories. Want to make some new ones?" BEEP. "Hey Wheeler. You probably don't remember me. We went to grade school together. We should catch up, talk about the old gang." BEEP. "Wheels, it's JJ. I'm changing our phone number here; I'm not your secretary."

Linka stopped the playback triumphantly. "If The Geo-Cruiser was any bigger, you'd have Swedish stewardesses in here."

"Can I have my phone back now?" Wheeler asked politely.

"Gi, how long till we get to Hope Island?" Kwame asked.

"Two minutes less since the last time you asked." Gi responded from the pilot seat.

_Bleep._

Linka looked up. "Whose phone is that?"

_Bleep._

"Not a phone. It's the Geo-Cruiser. MIT gave it all the bells and whistles. We have a call."

"From who?"

_Bleep._

Gi stared at the console in front of her. "It's... It's... wait, no, damn, my clairvoyance is on the blink today." She teased.

"We could just answer it and find out." Kwame suggested helpfully.

Gi hit the button, and the screen with the GPS map changed to show a video feed. "Hello?"

It was Linka's mother. She blinked. "I didn't think you had video chat in the Geo-Cruiser."

Secretly, neither did Gi. "Of course we do." She said, as though she'd known all along.

Linka leaned forward in her seat. "Mom?"

"I'm at the Interpol Office in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Linka, I need you to come see me. And I need you to do it quietly. There's something you all need to know." The Interpol agent disconnected before they could respond.

Kwame sighed. "Can we make Brazil?"

"Sure."

"Let's go, and see if you can find a spot to land that won't be noticed."

"At least her message wasn't cryptic or unsettling at all." Gi commented sarcastically to the blank screen, setting it back to GPS.

"Believe me, if you knew her better, you wouldn't be surprised." Linka said thickly.

Wheeler gave her a look as the Geo-Cruiser banked into a turn. "Linka, is there nobody in the world that gets a moment of sympathy from you?"

"You've known her less than six months. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"About your family, I'm sure." Wheeler said instantly. "But you're like this with everyone! Doesn't anyone ever get the benefit of the doubt with you?"

"Well excuse me for staying focused! We're here for a reason, Yankee!"

"Oh my God, Linka. In the time it took you to say that, another hundred trees were torn down, how can you  _live_  with yourself?" Wheeler said dramatically, and then covered his mouth theatrically. "Oh no, in the time it took me to say that, we lost another hundred trees! How can you live with  _me_?"

"How long till we get to Brazil?" Kwame asked Gi.

* * *

The Geo-Cruiser was one of a kind. Built by MIT, and declared a failed experiment, it had been bought by the Planeteers for a very reasonable price, as their combined powers made it a practical mode of transport.

It was the second such transport that the team had used; the first having been a home-made version of a Glider, built by Gi over years. Their first mission had taken its toll, but Gi had to admit she was very pleased with how things had turned out.

The Geo-Cruiser was professionally made, and had been designed with all sorts of innovations and ideas that Gi herself simply hadn't thought of, or could not afford to implement. The larger interior meant that the five passengers could at least carry some luggage, if not cargo. The flight controls included professional level indicators, GPS guidance, a top level communications system, power indicators...

Not including their Ring abilities, the Glider was wind and solar powered. The wings contained fans and propellers that gave precision control, and made the total wingspan a lot shorter than the first Glider. The propellers in the wings were powered by batteries, constantly being recharged by solar panels on the hull, and air scoops on the tail section, which drew air in, letting it pass through the aircraft as it flew, spinning small turbines with recharged the batteries as the Glider moved.

But it was a recognizable craft. It was the only one of it's kind and it belonged to globally recognized celebrities. It made a secret meeting difficult.

Like the first Glider, it could land on earth and water. They found an out of the way spot and landed on the coast.

* * *

Sao Paulo was a new place for the Planeteers. A coastal city in Brazil, with a fairly large population, it had a night-life like any large town.

Linka called her mother back, for more directions. "I'll meet you at a café on the edge of town. I can't take all of you." Alana said shortly. "We have to keep this quiet."

She gave them the address, and disconnected again without a word.

"I'm trying to decide if that woman is scared, rude or in trouble. She's definitely at least one or more." Wheeler offered. "So who goes?"

Kwame looked at him. "You and Linka. A visit from her daughter will be easy for Agent Petrova to explain. Every gossip magazine in the western hemisphere thinks you two are a couple. It'll draw less attention if it's just you visiting her."

Linka gave Kwame a look that would freeze lava.

Wheeler grinned broadly. "Well, shall we go,  _darling_?"

* * *

Ma-Ti, Gi and Kwame stayed with the Glider; waiting for them to return. "I should have gone with them." Ma-Ti said quietly.

"Linka and Wheeler can handle it." Kwame counseled. "And if they get into a scrape, their powers build on each other in a far more dangerous way than ours do."

"Yes, that's the reason." Gi said blandly.

Kwame looked at her, not so much as a smirk. "What do you mean?"

"I know about the bet." Gi fired.

Kwame ducked his head in embarrassment. "How'd you hear about that?"

"Oh, come on, we all know that you can't keep a secret about this team. People Magazine pay off every hotel, diner and grocery store we go near to keep a running tally of how many calories Linka eats. My parents have had to shoo the London Daily Mirror away from their garbage all month. Hearing about Wheeler making a bet about Linka with you is nothing." She looked at him shrewdly. "The only thing I can't figure out is whether you sent them together to help him along, or to get them bickering again."

"I don't want them bickering at all." Kwame said. "We still have to work together. Those two work together very well."

"I agree. It's when we're  _not_  working that they have trouble." Gi shot back.

Kwame changed the subject. "What do you think about Stumm's announcement?"

"About a battery recycler?" She shrugged heavily. "It seems like a good idea. I hope it works. I really do. Y'know, Stumm is the only reason we aren't all in jail right now. The fact that he profits from it isn't necessarily a bad thing. He's interested in profit. That hardly makes him a bad guy. Or at least, the worst bad guy in the world."

"I agree. But I still don't trust him."

"He doesn't trust us. We like to work with people we trust, he doesn't care. It's not a bad thing he did tonight."

"The only reason he put together that fund-raiser was so that he could announce his new toy. He got all the celebrities together so that the investigative reports wouldn't be there, but the cameras would be. He wanted high profile without having to answer tough questions, and he used us to do it."

"And he raised a million bucks for us in return." Gi offered. "I remember something he said to us, the first time we were all in that hotel together. He said the best deals were ones where everybody profits. We all got what we wanted tonight."

Kwame sighed. "I suppose so." He shook his head. "I don't know what it is; I just don't like it. Every time he does something, it feels like…"

"Like he's screwing us over, and we can't see how?" Gi put in. "I know. I think that's just the impression he gives." She turned to the back seat. "You're being very quiet back there, Ma-Ti. What do you think?"

"I think Stumm doesn't know what 'wrong' is." Ma-Ti said quietly. "It makes it hard to know if he's doing wrong if he doesn't know the meaning of the word. Stumm has changed."

"Changed how?" Kwame asked Ma-Ti without turning around.

"I don't know. I just know that there's something there that wasn't there before. A touch of something, like he has a shadow cast over him. It is a blemish on a soul that has sold itself willingly."

On that unsettling comment, Kwame and Gi went silent, trying to understand what that meant.

Ma-Ti seemed troubled, lost in a distant thought. "How did he get all that information about Gaia and the Rings?"

* * *

Linka's mother was waiting for them at the café as expected. The second the two of them walked in she waved them straight back out again, and met them in the street, away from the customers. "Technically, I'm breaking a few Interpol regulations telling you all of this." She said as soon as she came to them. "So if we can get this done quickly, it'll just be safer for all concern."

Wheeler could feel Linka's blood rising, and made the sarcastic comment before Linka could. "Nice to see you again too."

The Interpol agent led them back to the Regional Interpol Branch office, and let them in the back door with her key-card, explaining that all people entering the building had to be logged via card, but the back door didn't have cameras, and likely as many people about.

Sure enough, at that time of night the offices were nearly deserted. Linka's mother apparently worked in a cubicle, and they joined her at her desk as she logged in, opened a file, and finally told them why they were there. "We'll have to be quick, before anyone come by."

"I'll take notes." Wheeler promised. He picked up a notepad off the desk. "What is this? You fill up a whole notebook with doodles?"

"That's Russian." Ivana told him shortly, pulling open her desk draw, and tossing him a fresh, brand new notepad. "Now listen. Interpol gets a lot of tips on crimes and criminals. Most of it is just people trying to get attention. We have experts who sort out the legitimate tips from the practical jokes. Since becoming Globally known figures, you yourselves have been mentioned about a million times since Hope Island."

"Something serious?"

"One of the tips, made reference to some things that happened on the Mobile Oil Rig you destroyed. Things that were never made public knowledge. Giving information like that is considered a reliable tip off."

Wheeler collected a few sheets of paper out of her office recycling bin, selecting ones that were still relatively smooth and flat. "What was the tip?"

"That sometime in the next two weeks, somebody is going to try and kill you."

Silence.

"Who?"

"I don't know." Ivana admitted.

"We haven't heard about this..." Wheeler said. "We hear everything people say about all of us, why haven't we heard about this?"

"Why does this meeting have to happen in secret?" Linka added. "If we've been targeted for murder, why does a warning have to come quietly?"

"Because the tip has already been discredited." Ivana explained. "By itself, that's not unusual. Thousands of tips get written off and summarily dismissed every day."

Wheeler shuffled the pages he took out of the rubbish and shuffled them neatly into a square pile. "But you said this one was credible?"

"Yes. But it was dismissed anyway. I tried to get it investigated anyway, and I was told to stay objective. I was taken off the case so fast I nearly got whiplash."

"You think somebody was trying to kill the tip-off." Linka suggested.

"They didn't try, they succeeded. The tip was dismissed, there was no investigation, and there is no file."

Wheeler turned the pages over so that the blank side was facing up, and grabbed a pair of scissors from Ivana's desk drawer. "Why'd you call us in here? You could have told us this over the phone."

"Yes I could, but I couldn't show you this." Alana tapped a few keys on her computer. "Information is closely guarded by Interpol. Printouts are logged, emails are tagged. You needed to see this, and it had to be done here."

Wheeler was cutting the pages into thirds, and Linka leaned in to take a look. "What's this?"

"The tip off gave a list if five people on the same hit list. The names on that list were Kwame Deka, Gi Takashi, Linka Petrova, Ma-Ti Costa, James Johnston, and Elias Levinson."

Wheeler and Linka traded a look. "Who's Elias Levinson?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." Linka's mother said quietly in frustration. "He's not in any of the reports you filed, he's not listed as anyone connected to you, your projects, your Missions, or your little band of Boy Scouts."

"What do you know about him?"

"He's a Yale graduate. His doctorate was in chemistry. And this is what brings me to you." She pointed to the screen again, now showing a file with a picture of a young man with glasses and dark hair. "Your father is off trying to find Elias before anyone else does."

"Who else is on the case?"

"Nobody. Nobody's taking it seriously, because quite frankly this guy isn't important enough to kill. But it was the same man who called in the warning about you, and whoever he is, he has knowledge of your last great mission that the world does not."

"If Elias Levinson isn't that important, why does someone want to kill him?"

"Officially, nobody does." Ivana pointed out, tapping at some keys. "This is his life in a hundred words or less. See if anything jumps out."

"Chemical Recycling Technology." Linka read. "His thesis was on reclaiming battery chemicals for recycling."

Wheeler looked up sharply at that. "The Corporation just rolled out-"

"I know. That's why I called you. The timing of this is just too damn close. Officially, there's nothing I can do. I'm off the case. There is no case. But if somebody's going after this guy, and you... There has to be a connection. The only thing that involves him that might in any way connect him to you is this recycling technology..."

"We'll look into it." Linka promised.

Ivana nodded, and sent Wheeler a glance. Wheeler became fascinated by the papers in his hand. "I need a stapler. Hang on, I'm going to go find a stapler."

He left them, and Ivana was grateful as she squeezed her daughter's shoulder. "I never did spend the time I promised with you."

Linka looked down. "It's all right. You were busy, I understood."

"You always understand Linka." Ivana pulled her into a hug. "I am proud of you Linka, and the things you have done. But I do wish you weren't on a hit list."

Linka smiled. "I can take care of myself."

"There's a small continent out on the ocean that suggests you are correct." Ivana conceded. "But I still worry."

Linka gave her mother a hug. "I should go."

"I have to make sure nobody finds out you were ever here."

Linka headed for the door. "Wheeler! We're going!"

Wheeler reappeared swiftly at Alana's desk, with a stapler in one hand. "Behind you every step of the way babe."

"Eyes a little higher Yankee." Linka smirked and turned to leave.

"Babe? Yankee?" Ivana frowned. Linka blushed a little at her mother watching, but waved that off and headed for the door.

Wheeler lingered for a moment and just looked at the Agent. "You're as bad as she is, y'know."

Ivana reacted. "What?"

"Maybe you couldn't email or print out the information for us, but you could have jotted it down on a post-it, if nothing else. Is it really so hard to admit that you were worried when you heard Linka was on a hit list, and just wanted to see your daughter?"

Ivana reacted like she'd been caught out at something.

Wheeler didn't push it. He stapled the paper strips together at one corner, and tossed the improvised notepad down on Alana's desk. "Reuse your scrap paper; save a tree."

Ivana didn't say anything as he went after Linka. But she took the untouched new notepad, and put it back in the drawer. Wheeler's improvised one would serve as well.

* * *

They were out of the building, and Linka's first step was to pull out her cell phone. "Gi, track down a location for a Yale Graduate named Elias Levinson." She listened a moment. "Okay. We'll be back with you soon."

"Y'know, even if we get an address, there's no chance he'd still be there." Wheeler pointed out.

"I know. If my father is trying to hide him, his home will be the last place he will go. But I don't know where else to start, do you?"

"No, and that's assuming your dad found him." Wheeler admitted. "Someone's coming."

Linka pulled Wheeler aside, and they hid behind a parked car, till the random pedestrian hurried by.

"Why are we hiding?" Wheeler asked. "We're clear of the Interpol office."

"Our faces are known Yankee. I would rather people not be asking questions about why we're in Brazil."

"We could just say that we're on vacation... oh wait, it's you. Nobody would buy that."

"I wish we'd brought Ma-Ti." Linka whispered. "It'd be easier to slip away unnoticed."

"If this were a spy movie, I'd put you up against the wall and kiss you passionately every time someone came close enough to see us; hiding our faces till they passed by." He sent her a look. "You know, like you see in all the  _James Bond_ movies..."

Linka paused, turned to face him, and gave him a smouldering invitation. "So go ahead."

Wheeler's eyes bulged in surprise. "I... um, okay I..."

"Too late." Linka said immediately, and walked off, not missing a beat.

"Wait! I wasn't ready!" Wheeler spluttered and took of after her.

* * *

The flight back to the States was a hive of activity. Linka took over piloting the Geo-Cruiser, while Gi got to work hunting down their target.

"Elias Levinson." Gi announced. "I've got an address. He's in Chicago. He was working for a Chemical Company. I've also got his cell phone number."

Beat.

Kwame nodded. "Call him."

Gi picked up the headset, and keyed in the number. The Geo-Cruiser had its own satellite phone line, since it did a number of international flights, making cell-phones difficult. She listened for a moment. "The phone is not in service." She announced, mimicking the automated voice she heard.

"If he's in hiding with my father, he probably doesn't have his phone with him at the moment." Linka put in.

"Call your father." Kwame suggested. "See if he's found Elias yet."

Linka nodded and took the headset from Gi with one hand. "He's not answering, what a surprise."

"Is that a good sign or a bad sign?"

"It means he doesn't want to be reached."

"Does your mother have a way to reach him?"

"If she does, she didn't tell us."

"Then we go for his apartment." Kwame said finally. "There might be something there that can give us a clue. If not... we try Linka's mother again."

Gi put her hand up like she was in class. "I hate to bring this up, but if Elias isn't at home, it's because he's been targeted for murder. By the same people that targeted us. If his house isn't safe for him, then it's not safe for us to go there either."

"We have a better chance than he would." Wheeler put in.

"We would indeed." Kwame said seriously. "All right, set course for Chicago."

Beat.

"Okay." Linka asked finally in some embarrassment. "How do I work the GPS in this thing?"

"Ha! Geeks Rule!" Gi quipped and reached forward, tapping the console with one hand.

Linka banked the Geo-Cruiser into a turn and raised her Ring. "Wind!"


	3. What's Going On Here?

The Planeteers kept a change of clothes in the Geo-Cruiser. Aside from the risk of getting your clothes messed up while on missions, Lizzie had told them that a lot of people were looking at an image when they saw celebrities on TV. They usually dressed in the same way when they were in the public eye, creating something of a uniform for themselves. People noticed what they expected to see. Dressing differently and wearing caps and sunglasses were enough to keep them from getting noticed a lot of the time.

The Planeteers public schedule was well known. They were expected to be on Hope Island right now, and nobody was looking for them.

They had learned the trick of going unnoticed in public, and split up, hiding the Geo-Cruiser off the coast of Illinois Beach State Park, and quietly getting passage to the city, with Ma-Ti's help.

Once they reached the city, they split up. Even when unexpected, the five of them together were a unique and noticeable mix.

Eventually though, they found their way to the right place. Wheeler and Ma-Ti got there first and found a diner nearby, waiting for the others to arrive.

Wheeler checked Ma-Ti subtly. Even when walking around, his eyes seemed to be glazed. It was like he couldn't see anything, except for the fact that he never put a foot wrong.

They were in a Diner, so Wheeler ordered some food for them both. He'd dated enough waitresses to know how to order and pay for food without letting them see his face. The longer they kept their presence in Chicago a secret, the more they could get done.

Ma-Ti didn't seem to be aware of the Apple Danish, so Wheeler pushed it forward a little. "Ma-Ti. Eat something please."

Ma-Ti blinked a little, came back to himself. The trembling in his hands got stronger and he grabbed at his plate. "I gotta get better at noticing when I don't eat."

Wheeler sipped his coffee. "How's your family doing?"

Ma-Ti froze. "What do you mean?"

"Which part tripped you up?" Wheeler smirked.

Ma-Ti swallowed. "I… haven't spoken to them since they left Hope Island."

"I can see where it would be hard." Wheeler nodded sympathetically. "What do you say to people you have under mind control?"

Ma-Ti almost dropped his plate. "You knew?"

Wheeler nodded. "Your family were acting like you went to a sleepover, and you show up on Hope Island? You used you little talent to get us past police, past customs, rental agents... It didn't take a genius to know you did something to your parents too."

Ma-Ti looked down sadly. "I think… I think I did something I can't undo."

Wheeler looked out the window. "I know the feeling."

"Wheeler... back before all of this... I couldn't even speak my mind to a bully..." Ma-Ti sighed and retreated a little into himself. "They're here."

Wheeler blinked in confusion, and saw a flash of blonde hair sticking out from under a baseball cap. The others had arrived, looking around. Wheeler and Ma-Ti went to join them, and they gathered across the street from their destination.

* * *

"Well, this is the place." Gi said quietly as the team assembled. "What do you think?"

The apartment building was not new, but it had been taken care of. It wasn't run down in any way. It was a building like any other in a city the size of Chicago.

"It's not a Penthouse apartment." Wheeler volunteered. "All five of us in there will make things crowded."

Kwame glanced about a little. "Can't be helped. We don't want to draw attention."

The five of them trooped into the building. It was six stories high, and there was no elevator. It was the middle of the day, and most of the people who lived there were out.

"What are we going to ask him?" Wheeler asked.

"We tell him our story, and see what he can add." Kwame said. "If we can find him."

They found the right apartment on the third floor up, and Kwame knocked first. No answer.

"Well, that was what we expected." Linka offered. "I still can't get my father on the phone."

Wheeler played a hunch and felt along the top of the door-frame. The key dropped into his hand a moment later. "No imagination."

Linka smirked. "You keep your spare key in the same place?"

"Yeah, but I watch too much TV; I have no imagination either."

Wheeler unlocked the door, and they slipped in quietly.

"Does it bother anyone that we're breaking and entering?" Gi said in a small voice.

"We're not breaking in Gi, we're using the key." Wheeler said. "Besides, if he's on the run, he's not here."

"Yes, he is." Kwame said flatly.

They followed his voice through the apartment till they found him in the living room. "Uh-oh."

Elias Levinson was there; face down on the floor of his living-room, in a pool of his own blood. Kwame bent down to check. "Yep. He's dead all right. For at least a day."

For a moment, they just stared at each other. Gi was looking pointedly away from the body. "I think we can assume that the warning about the hit-list is real."

Kwame took a breath. "All right. We'll call the police, obviously. We'll tell them everything, let them sort it out. Gi, make the call."

Wheeler jerked a thumb at Linka as Gi slipped out. "It might get Agent Petrova in trouble."

Linka shook her head. "No. Once word that she was right gets out, she'll be fine."

Gi came back into the room. "Police are on the... Oh no."

The others looked. Gi had found a surveillance camera, set up and running, hidden on top of a bookshelf. And it was pointing easily at all of them.

"Fry it!" Kwame ordered quickly.

Wheeler's hand came up like a quick-draw, and the camera burst into a moment of flame. They all stayed where they were for a second, holding their breaths.

"What if that camera saw who killed Elias?" Gi asked quietly, scared to raise her voice.

"What if that camera was set up after he died?" Linka shot back.

Ma-Ti froze. "Wait. Something... GET DOWN!"

They did, as gunfire rang out, splintering the windows.

Wheeler and Linka both spun around on the floor without rising, looking for a target. There was no sign of anyone.

"Is everyone all right?" Kwame demanded.

"I'm fine!"

"Me too!"

"I can't see the shooter!" Wheeler hissed. "Ma-Ti?"

Ma-Ti pointed at the wall. "There! He's moving!" The boy froze. "Another to the other side!"

"More than one!"

Ma-Ti jumped up. "He's in the hallway!"

The door exploded, as somebody on the other side fired a shotgun round through the door. The door was kicked off the hinges, and a large uniformed man with a shotgun charged in. He found the Planeteers on the floor and aimed.

"WIND!" Linka shouted, and the room was suddenly filled with a howling wind that picked up everything lighter than a brick and sent it tossing around like a tornado had parked itself in the living room. It was enough to throw off their attackers aim.

Kwame was closest, and belly crawled under the wave of debris that flew around the room, managing to get a hand around the man's ankle. The gunman felt it and pointed the shotgun down, as Kwame yanked his legs out from under him.

_DOWN!_ Ma-Ti yelled in their minds, and all the Planeteers obeyed his mental command without thought.

More gunfire, shredding into the furniture, the wood paneling.

It was chaos! Things were flying around the room, hurled by an unnatural wind, bullets were shredding from a direction nobody could see, Kwame and another attacker were rolling around the floor trying to get hold of the shotgun. Contained in a small room negated much of their abilities, forced into holding back what they could do...

"Linka, stop it!" Wheeler yelled, his eyes streaming from the wind.

The howling wind stopped instantly, and there was a series of loud crashes as the flying debris dropped instantly.

The shotgun went off again, the shot went wide, but it was enough to make everyone duck again. The attacker with the shotgun fought to get to his feet.

_Incoming!_ Ma-Ti warned mentally, and another gunman, this one with a machine gun, came charging in through the shattered door.

"Fire!" Wheeler commanded, and the second man burst into flames, as Kwame lunged, punching and kicking the first as best he could.

The second was still thrashing around, on fire; and he dropped to the ground to roll out the flames. Gi and Linka took pity and ripped curtains off the wall, putting him out. Gi wasn't game to use her Ring in a space this tight.

Wheeler finally got clear enough of the wrecked furniture, and the scattered debris, and the guns, and the thrashing human torch,  _and_  his fellow Planeteers; and got close enough to help Kwame in his battle with the shotgun man. Kwame and he were grappling over the shotgun, when Wheeler got in close and put his fist up to the man's eyes. "Drop it, or you burn!"

The man did; and suddenly the fight was over.

And everyone finally got a good look at their attackers. They were both wearing Chicago Police Uniforms. Badges, riot gear, nightstick.

But they didn't believe it.

"Who are you?" Kwame demanded. "You aren't police."

The man didn't speak. Gi and Ma-Ti were stamping out the spot fires caused by Wheeler's victim, Linka was laying the curtain she had taken over Levinson's body.

"Answer the man's question!" Wheeler ordered. "Or do I have to... turn up the heat?"

"Kill me." The Policeman said thickly. "It doesn't work unless... I need there to be no trace."

Kwame and Wheeler traded a look. There was more to this than they knew.

"Who gave the order?" Linka demanded, joining them. "Who sent you?"

The man said nothing. Wheeler pushed his Ring against the side of his face. "Talk!"

"Wheeler! No!" Gi shouted. "The room... gas. It's heated by gas, I can smell it!"

Everyone froze. The faint hiss of gas became audible as they all held their breath.

"We have to get out of here." Kwame said.

Wheeler gripped their prisoner. "Give me a name. A clue. If you're being threatened, give us something you can get away with. Who sent you? Why are you dressed up as a cop?"

The man looked like he was going to cry. "Tell them… that I did it because I loved them." With that, he brought both hands up to clap Wheeler's eardrums swiftly. The American reeled back in sudden pain, as he dove for the floor… and the shotgun.

_OUT! Everyone OUT!_  Ma-Ti roared in their heads, and they all obeyed without meaning to, controlled by the power of his Ring as they abandoned the fight and fled the room.

They made it to the door as the man aimed the shotgun at the leaking stove and fired. The gas erupted explosively, sending a rush of flame through the apartment, catching alight anything in seconds, the shock of the blast enough to make the building quiver again.

The five of them barely managed to get the door shut behind them, holding it closed as hard as they could. With nowhere to go the shock-wave blew out every window in the building.

"That did not go at all the way I expected." Wheeler complained as the sounds of people yelling and screaming in the building filled their ears. Doors started opening up and down the hallway.

"We better get outta here!" Linka said as Gi went back into the burning apartment.

"We better go see the police." Kwame countered.

"WHAT?"

"We called it in! If we vanish now that the scene of a murder is burning..." Kwame started to explain as the sound of running water filled the apartment behind them.

"Plus, we still haven't found my father, and if Elias was on the same hit list as us, we've pretty much proven that it's a genuine hit list now. Maybe we tell the cops and somebody else can figure it out."

"What is going on?" A woman called from the next apartment.

"Everything is under control!" Wheeler called back. "Remain calm, stay in your homes."

"I have broken glass all over everything in my apartment! Is the building on fire?" The woman called in worry.

"I felt the building shake!" Someone upstairs was shouting. "Has there been an attack?"

"Kwame is right, we're not going to be able to cover this up." Linka admitted. "But if all five of us get hauled in for questioning about three deaths... and we don't have any answers for them. Look. There are five of us. It only takes one of us to tell the police everything we know."

Beat.

"Linka's right. We don't all have to do this. Linka, you and I will stay here and talk to the authorities. We'll tell them what we know, which isn't much. If you can get in touch with your parents, they should be able to help us."

"I will stay here too." Ma-Ti offered. "If the police are difficult, or don't believe us, Linka with her parents, and me with my Ring are the most likely ones to convince them to listen."

"Wheeler, Gi; you two head back to Hope Island till you hear from us; it's the safest place. Call Lizzie, tell her what's happening before the people in this apartment building get word out that we were here; see what she makes of it."

"We shouldn't split up." Wheeler said suddenly. "We know that there's a genuine hit-list and we're all on it. We split up now, and that's divide and conquer."

"Well it can't be helped because I don't know how long it'll take to get done with the Police." Kwame explained. "We have to keep this quiet for as long as we can till we know what's going on."

"I'm not going all the way back to Hope Island and leaving you guys here." Wheeler said flatly.

"Me neither." Gi agreed.

There was a moment. Everyone was looking at Kwame again, waiting for a decision.

"All right." Kwame said finally. "Not Hope Island. Back to New York. It's closer to us, and it'll be easy to explain, since Wheeler lives there and we'll be back in a few days for the Reclaimer Grand Opening. Wheeler, if anyone asks, you just decided to stay over and help out at the Planet Foundation. With JJ a member, that won't be hard to believe."

"I want to stay with you." Gi said firmly.

"Gi, you're the pilot for the Geo-Cruiser. It'll be hard to explain him hopping a commercial flight from Chicago if we're not supposed to be here."

She sighed hard. "Fine. Be safe."

"You too." Kwame said softly, the other three pretending they didn't notice any of this.

* * *

Wheeler and Gi crossed the street, and waited. The Police showed up quickly, and found Kwame, Linka and Ma-Ti waiting for them outside the building. They had a brief conference with the first car to arrive. It was less than a minute before they were put into a car, with more police, and a few fire-trucks showing up.

"I hope it works out." Gi said softly.

"They'll be fine. I've been taken in more times that I'm proud of. They might wilt a little under the lights, but those aren't Corporation security, or mercenary militia, they're Police Officers." Wheeler advised.

"So was the guy who pointed a gun at us." Gi countered.

"I don't buy that, and neither do you." Wheeler retorted.

"Wheeler, something's going on, and I don't like it."

"Me neither." Wheeler admitted. "So. Now we have to get back to the Geo-Cruiser."

"Back to the national park, without renting a car or getting noticed and without Ma-Ti. Tricky. Plus we'll be on foot for a lot of it when we get back to the National Park."

Wheeler let out a breath. "Well we better get moving."

* * *

Lizzie did her job well, and nobody had any questions about why three of the Planeteers were being questioned by the Police. The Press either didn't catch it, or did not publish it.

Kwame told them everything the Planeteers had learned, and it wasn't much. The Police recorded everything, and took him back to his holding cell. They put him in Solitary confinement, knowing the problems that would arise from having a well known celebrity as a prisoner.

_Kwame?_ Ma-Ti's voice came to him. _I can hear you._

_Are you all right?_ Kwame asked his friend.

_They asked me their questions. I spoke the truth. They just took Linka. There is little more we can do. Policemen don't like mysteries, and we don't have any answers._  Ma-Ti answered.  _But Kwame... they aren't confused or questioning. They're furious._

_Why?_

_I don't know, but we called it in, we told them everything, and we defended ourselves when attacked. There's no reason to hold us any longer. They're mad about something, and Lizzie is covering for our absence. They won't let us go till they get an answer they like._

* * *

Wheeler was waiting backstage for his cue when his cell phone rang. "Hello?"

It was Gi. "Please tell me you have something, before I go out of my mind."

"I got nothing." Wheeler said. "I've been calling Lizzie, but I can't get anything new. Chicago PD has had them for two days!"

"Wheeler, Chicago Tribune website says that it pulled at least one dead police officer out of Elias' apartment. Name and next-of-kin, it's all here. Officer Julian Hertz."

Wheeler nearly dropped the phone. "He was a  _real_  cop? Oh god. We torched a cop, Gi!"

Gi was silent a moment. "He said... he said we had to kill him or they got nothing. He was against a wall somehow, and he was willing to take a shot at us, or die trying.  _He_  pulled the trigger Wheeler, not us."

"Gi, it doesn't matter who started it! They don't  _care_  who started it, only how it ended! Chicago PD will eat them alive."

"We didn't do anything wrong!" Gi insisted.

"It's Illinois, Gi. Land in the shadow of Al Capone. The cops don't mess around over there."

"This isn't helping the whole 'going out of my mind' problem I mentioned!"

"Sorry."

"Oh by the way, I managed to get a copy of Elias Levinson's dissertation. A few friends I made at MIT let me use their Academic access, when I need to go looking for things."

"And?"

"It's got some good ideas, but there's no way it would have worked."

Wheeler blinked. "What?"

"I'm serious. There's no great revelation here; it's all theoretical. I've gone through it four times, read the comments, looked up other people working along the same lines. There's no way to make these ideas work in a practical sense."

"Then why kill him for it? Especially if The Corporation came up with a way that did work?"

"I don't know. Maybe just as a trap for us?"

Coulborn poked his head behind the curtain. "You ready?"

Wheeler flashed him a smile. "Born ready!"

He ducked back out again and Wheeler turned his attention back to the phone. "Gi, I've got this thing right now."

"Yeah. I'll let you go."

Beat.

"Kwame will be okay." Wheeler promised her.

He could hear her smile. "So will Linka."

* * *

Wheeler looked out from the stage at the two or three hundred people that were looking up at him. The hall was originally a schoolhouse or community center, so it had all the facilities for a public meeting hall, but since being taken over by the planet Foundation it probably wasn't used for making grand speeches that often, and everyone was sitting in folding chairs. They'd put this together for him.

Wheeler ignored the microphone, went to the edge of the stage and jumped down to the floor. "So, how about everyone relax, turn your chairs around if you like. That way, we don't have to worry about the microphones."

A quick murmur ran through everyone. Wheeler had walked down the aisle in the middle of the room, and was speaking to them all from the middle of the hall. Because he was closer, they could all hear him just fine. There was a scuffling, and a little screeching as people turned their chairs around to look at him, and the somewhat formal lecture setting had changed to something else entirely.

Wheeler smiled as they shifted, putting them all at ease. "See, I always fell asleep in school assemblies. Made it harder to follow what was being said, so how about we just… yeah, just like that."

The audience was now seated around Wheeler in a circle, and he paced around. He moved like he talked, never staying still, gesturing a lot, moving from person to person.

"So. Pleased to meet you, my name is Wheeler Johnston. And a year ago, I was just like you. I worked a blue-collar job, I looked after my little brother, and I had eight different women sticking pins in voodoo dolls of me at any given time."

A general chuckle went around the room at that one.

"To be fair, I deserved it, and voodoo dolls rarely work." Wheeler demurred. "Then I became one of the Planeteers, and my world got a whole lot bigger."

Polite applause.

"I loved making things grow, and I hated wasting things. I looked at some of the things people in this city did, and it bothered me. The frustration was the worst part. Life sucks sometimes, but what made me crazy was not seeing how to make things better. Well… I found a way. Without getting into details, it's not really an option for most people, so here I am. The things I can do are impressive, but it's not a magic wand to stop the train from going off the tracks. Some people will tell you that the Planeteers are here to clean up the messes that all humanity in general make. Well… that isn't so. Not exactly. We'll do what we can, but you know the best way clean up a mess? Don't make one."

Stronger applause at that.

"I get why you want to believe we can do it ourselves. This is a huge planet-wide problem. The notion that somebody else can fix it is an appealing one. Something that I get told over and over again by people is that they don't think they can do anything. They say that I can, and they can't. So here I am, once again, trying to get across to people that little actions have big results. A two dollar sticker on your mailbox refusing junk-mail saves a tree every eighteen months. Imagine if ten people did that. Fifty. A hundred. A thousand. This isn't just words, it's a fact. Every person here can make a huge difference."

Stronger applause at that one two.

"But this isn't my story." Wheeler said finally. "We may have started this little group, but you were the ones that kept it going. You were the ones that spread the word. You were the ones that opened up chapters across the globe, while we were making Hope Island a home for ourselves. Nobody was there to help you, and nobody else was needed. Planet Foundation, World Watchers… give yourselves a hand."

Much stronger applause. Wheeler waited for them to settle down before he spoke again. He cleared his throat and spoke more sincerely. "Over the past few months, we've been approached by Climate Scientists. They've all spoken of the pressure they've been under to water down their conclusions, to keep their findings vague. There are Climate Scientists that are getting death threats for speaking about the things they have studied and learned. They are intimidated. They have reason to be. It takes a lot of work to get where they are in their field, and they need to continue working after their studies are done. You cannot hide your head in the sand. You have to speak. If you can't do anything, you can at least ask why there's nothing being done. This is the story of the Earth. We're citizens of this planet. We have a say in what happens to it! So Speak Up!"

Another interruption for applause, this one with a rumble of agreement.

"So with that in mind… I'd like to ask anyone who has a story to tell to share it. Don't worry that it's not impressive or earth shaking; if it's not a big change, a big event, then it's at least something you haven't done before. And if it's something small and simple? That's even better, because it's something that everyone else can do too. I'm looking for you all to share your ideas with each other."

Long silence.

"I'm serious." Wheeler pressed gently. "Don't worry that it's not big enough for anyone else to bother with. You bothered. You matter. So tell us how you do."

One hand went up. An young woman in a business suit. Wheeler came over to her and led her into the circle. "Pleased to meet you. Your name?"

"My…" She cleared her throat. "My name is Gillian." She seemed a little embarrassed. "I um… I've never done this before. I work for a legal firm, my hours are long. I have a kid, and he's been asking about this group, so I came here to check it out, and they invited me to join up myself. I learned some things here, met a few people… Because of my workload, I eat out a lot. I just pick up a bite from the staff lunch room. Paper plates and plastic silverware every day. About a month ago, I bought a set of camping silverware. A knife and fork that slide into each other when you aren't using them. I dug out a travel mug that's been in the back of my cupboard since forever and I started taking that in to coffee shops. They're happy to use my mug instead of one of their own Styrofoam jobs. I haven't thrown out anything from my lunch or coffee in weeks."

Wheeler grinned at her as the light applause made her flush. "Don't write that off as a little thing. America produces enough Styrofoam cups per year to circle the earth 436 times, and they never degrade. In 2009, America alone produced seven million tonnes of durable plastic waste like those plastic knives and forks. That's not such a little thing!"

Gillian flushed a little at the attention as people applauded stronger. She was pleased at Wheeler's comment, but happier to sit down again. Another hand went up, and Wheeler gestured for them to come over.

Emily stepped up. "My name is Emily Sturgess. I'm new here. And a year ago, I never would have been seen in a place like this."

The audience rumbled a bit at that.

Emily took a breath. "My mom, my dad and I, we lived on Fifth Avenue. If you'd asked me, I would have said that I cared about the world, the environment... I could see Central park from my room. That was about as far as I went. Then the economic crunch happened. There were casualties. My father was one of them. Our family lost everything, and mom ran out on us when the money dried up. We came to Brooklyn, and everyone I knew barely registered when I left. I came to the Foundation, and I joined the World Watchers. And I've never felt better about how I spend my time."

Mild applause.

"A year ago, my idea of recreation was to power shop my way through the upper East Side. I spent more on one dress than most people in this city spend on rent, and for all that, I barely wore them once. I never realized how extravagant I was until I didn't have a credit card any more. This weekend, we went out and we spent our time cleaning up the 56th Street Playground. We took out the broken pavement and made it grow. We scrubbed away the graffiti and got rid of the needles. People are going there again. Kids are playing there again and… I feel better about myself after scrubbing up a forgotten park in the city, than I did after bringing home a dozen new outfits."

Wheeler clapped a hand on her shoulder. "That is  _definitely_  not a little thing."

* * *

The Chicago PD had taken their time interviewing Linka and Ma-Ti, and now were taking their second turn with Kwame. Most of the questions were the same. Kwame wasn't one to get annoyed, and he knew that the reason for the repetition was so that they could catch him out in a lie if his story changed after twenty four hours. The advantage was they were willing to offer a few more details to see if they could trip him up.

"The Officer that attacked you was Officer Julian Hertz." The Captain said. "He was one of mine, and had been for twenty years. We don't have a name for the other one yet, and I doubt we'll get anything after the fire got done with them."

"He was one of yours?" Kwame repeated in open disbelief.

"You better believe he was!" The Captain snapped. "Mr Deka, one of my officers is dead. You don't kill cops. Not in this city, not in this state, not in this country, not anywhere in the world, and not in my precinct. I want answers! What happened?"

"I don't know, he just came in and started shooting!" Kwame insisted. The pieces suddenly fit together. The police were taking this so seriously because they had just lost one of their own. And yet the realization hadn't made any sense of the attack.

"You're talking about a man with an impeccable record, a man who never so much as fixed a ticket!" The Captain took stock. "And he just walked in and started shooting at you, saviors for the world?"

"That's right."

"You tell me, Mr Deka. Does this make even a  _little bit_  of sense?"

The door opened, and in pushed two people. "Kwame, don't say another word!"

The Captain turned to the newcomer. "Are you his lawyers?"

"No, I'm his agent." Lizzie retorted.

The other newcomer flipped open his ID. "Stephan Petrova. Interpol. If you'll release this man to my custody, I'll take care of this."

"Oh no you don't. This man has confessed responsibility in the death of at least one police officer. He's Chicago PD's chew-toy now."

"He confessed to self-defense. Mr Deka is taking part in a priority investigation." The Interpol Agent explained.

"And he has an appearance to make in New York this afternoon." Lizzie said, holding out his cell phone. "His Honor the Mayor would like to explain it to you."

The Captain glared at them both. "Agent Petrova, I'll have words with whoever you answer to. If the mayor orders me to hand over a suspect to somebody else, I will. But this man is known to us now. You remember that the next time you need anything in my jurisdiction. Got that?"

"Loud and Clear." Lizzie nodded.

Kwame was released in less than ten minutes, but still had the cuffs on as Stephan led him to a car out the front. "Where are we going?" Kwame asked.

"Far away from this city, before the Captain gets on the phone to my Supervisor and finds out I'm not supposed to be here." Stephan said instantly, rushing him out.

"How did you get the Mayor to back you up if you're not part of the investigation?"

"Officially, there isn't an investigation, but your agent Ms Quinn was quite insistent that you make your appearance at the Grand Opening. She had the Mayor's number."

"He owed me a favor." Lizzie nodded with respect to the Interpol agent. "That and a badge gets you out of scrapes now and then."

Stephan didn't even slow down. "I got to Elias too late. I got out of there and put the apartment under surveillance from the outside until I noticed I was being watched myself, so I got out of there. I must have just missed you because by the time I managed to shake off my tail you were already in a holding cell here. Linka used her phone-call to contact her mother, who got word to me. I don't know who was setting a trap for you, but when I found out you took out a cop... So I got in touch with your agent. She actually had the ability to talk to the Mayor. More than I had if The Captain put up a fight."

Kwame nodded, taking it in fast. "The first attacker was a cop. Who was the other one? He had a uniform too."

"We have no idea." Lizzie admitted. "But right now I'm trying to stop three disastrous stories, one of which involves you being cop-killers; the second involves you all missing a big Grand Opening at which you're supposed to be guest of honor, and the third… You better get back to New York."

"You're not coming with us?" Kwame asked in surprise as he was put into the car.

Sure enough, Ma-Ti and Linka were in the care already waiting for him. They weren't smiling. "Lizzie has… other things she needs to handle today." Linka said darkly.

"What do you mean?"

* * *

Gi and Wheeler were in New York, getting ready for the opening of The Reclaimer. Given that the invitation was public, they had to be ready to answer questions, not just about themselves, but about the event, and the technology involved. The Corporation had sent them press packets of the event.

Wheeler took that, while Gi kept working, trying to figure out who killed Elias Levinson.

"What do you think Gi?" Wheeler asked quietly. "You think Stumm could be on the level about this?"

"I think he wants to make money. What he did for us cleared him from any trouble, what he did for the Corporation put some bad guys in jail... if more bad guys got put in charge, then it doesn't really change much... but I spent a lot of time during the 'Power is Yours' campaign telling people that going green can save them money. If he happened to believe me..."

Wheeler made a noise in his throat. "I suppose. I just don't like it though. I don't trust him inviting us places when there's a price on our heads, and people getting killed."

"You think it's a trap?" Gi wavered. "He wouldn't try anything, right? I mean... we're pretty big stars now. He couldn't possibly get away with it!"

"Celebrities ain't bullet-proof, Gi."

A phone rang in the next room. It was Wheeler's cell. He got up, went into his room and answered it. "Hello?"

"Wheeler, it's me." Lizzie said.

"Lizzie! What's the good word?"

"The others are out of jail. There was no real physical evidence one way or the other, what there was got taken out by the fire. It's your word against... well, nobody at the moment, but there's a dead cop, so Chicago PD is chewing the walls." She sighed. "Listen, I'd like to say that it was all good news, but there's actually something else I need to talk to you about. Do you remember how I got a message the night of the benefit?"

"I remember it made you look like you'd eaten bad shrimp."

"That's the one. It's... There's no easy way to say this."

"Then don't tell me. Talk to you later, Liz." Wheeler quipped, not meaning it, but sounding sincere enough to make Lizzie shout.

"WHEELER! Waitwaitwait! Okay, I'll tell you!" Lizzie took a breath. "Do you know a girl named Trish Allen?"

Taken completely by surprise, Wheeler paused, and then bowed his head. "Oh man. Don't tell me..."

"Yeah, long story short, she's made a tell-all deal. She's getting five figures out of it, at least; but I don't know which tabloid yet." She took a breath. "Wheeler, she says she has photos."

Wheeler rubbed his eyes hard. "I was eighteen, I was being stupid, we had her house to ourselves for a weekend, she had a camera-phone..."

"Well, she apparently held on to a few shots. You got famous, she got greedy. It's the old story."

Wheeler growled under his breath. "How bad is it going to get, and for how long?"

"I've been on the phone for the last few days trying to get them not to run the story. They aren't interested in anything I have to offer. It won't be on CNN, it'll be the tabloids. Nobody's going to believe the more... raunchy things she talks about."

"Half of which will be true." Wheeler admitted quietly.

"And half of which will be lies. As long as nobody knows which half, you'll weather the storm. But this is the first time you've had to handle this, so here are the rules. Don't comment on it, don't talk to this girl again under any circumstance, and you might want to tell your family what's coming before the story breaks."

Wheeler nodded thickly, though she couldn't see it. "Right."

"Also, you should know, I wasn't the only one to get advance notice of this. The morning shows will have a few things to say, and it's about that time in New York now..."

Wheeler paled. "Hang on a tick, Liz."

* * *

Gi jumped as Wheeler exploded into the room. "Gi, I need a phone!"

"You're holding a phone." Gi pointed out carefully.

"I need another phone!" Wheeler shouted urgently. "I need to call home now!"

Gi pulled her cell phone and tossed it to him. Wheeler had it open and was dialling fast. "Come on, JJ, pick up." He hissed. "Pick up. PickupPickupPickupPicku-Polly? It's me! Get JJ away from the TV. Don't ask me why, you'll find out soon. Just keep the TV turned off this morning, okay?"

Gi watched him, worried.

Wheeler hung up, aware of her scrutiny. He gave her the cell back and lifted his own to his ear. "Yeah. I'm back. Go ahead, Lizzie."

He slipped back into his own room for privacy, and Gi lunged for the TV Remote. She had to flip a few stations, before she saw Wheeler's picture up on screen. One of the publicity shots taken when they became famous. It took a few seconds for her to figure out what she was looking at.

"...all of three days."

"Three days, for a five figure deal? Isn't that a bit much?"

"Well, Miss Allen isn't getting paid for her story alone. Apparently she has photos, which include James 'Wheeler' Johnston. She's willing to sell them. Rumors are spreading fast about the content of those pictures. Apparently they're worth every penny."

"Why hasn't anyone heard of this Trish Allen before?"

"The... relationship, if you can consider it that, was over five years before The Planeteers ever existed. It just never came up. We don't know if she called the Tabloid or if they called her..."

"Lucy, we're talking about teenagers taking some racy shots of themselves, and paying a price for doing it five years later. Every college kid with a Facebook page can say the same thing. Isn't this just a gutter scheme to make money?"

"It is. Of course it is. And it's going to work. Word is that some of those photos are downright..."

Gi could watch no more and turned the TV off; before looking for Wheeler.

* * *

Wheeler was alone in his hotel room, with the curtains drawn and the lights off. He was stretched out on the bed, with an arm over his eyes. He looked smaller somehow. Shamed.

Gi came in and switched on the light.

"I prefer it dark, like my mood." Wheeler didn't look at her.

She switched the light back off and sat down next to him. Getting Kwame to open up about his sister's death was like pulling teeth. Gi had learned the trick of it. You had to let them do the talking.

"Trish Allen." Wheeler said quietly, looking miserable. "Most of the seniors called her 'Trash Alley' behind her back, which sort of tells you what we thought of her character." he rubbed his face hard with his hands. "But I was horny, and she was willing, and it lasted two days before we both lost interest."

Gi reached out and rubbed his shoulder a little in sympathy.

"I..." Wheeler started to say, and then hesitated. "I'm not the guy you want on a team like this. I'm not a hero. Superman wouldn't have skeletons in the closet or wherever else. This may surprise you, Gi, but I never wanted to get famous."

"You took to it pretty well. Better than I did." Gi answered quietly.

Wheeler still wouldn't look at her. "When dad left, I had to be the adult. I had no problems with violent movies, or not doing your homework, or eating nothing but junk food... Then one day I had to raise my kid brother, and I had suddenly had a lot of problems with that sort of thing."

"You grew up." Gi told him. "JJ turned out all right."

"Yeah he did. He turned out great. Pretty fantastic considering that his role model for the last few years is the kind of guy that abandons his home and his family at the drop of a hat for some mission he doesn't understand, or has his dirty laundry published in the world media." He looked at her for the first time, and blinked back tears. "How am I supposed to tell total strangers, that they need to change their ways when I'm the one hip deep in the dirt like this? How can I do this job?"

"The story will blow over." Gi promised him.

"The pictures wont. Even if they don't publish them... and they will. People know about them now. The Internet, the tabloids. The pictures will never go away. This mistake will never go away." Wheeler lay back on the bed, eyes squeezed shut. "I'm going to be paying for a stupid weekend with a trashy blonde I didn't care about, to say nothing of a billion other boneheaded choices... for the rest of my life."

Gi felt bad for him, and stretched out next to him, giving him a hug as best she could with them both lying down. "Wheeler, we pay for our mistakes too long. We try to learn from them, and make better choices that will be far easier for us and the people we care about to live with. Making up for a lifetime of bad choices… That's sort of the whole point of the Planeteers."

Wheeler laughed sickly for a moment. "Guess so."

"As for being able to do the job, well... It's easy to tell people that they need to change. It's harder to change yourself. You've done it. You grew up when JJ needed you to be a grown-up. You did a lot more when Gaia called us together. You're the reformed sinner. Not a bad place to talk to others from."

Silence.

Wheeler put a kiss on the top of her head. "I never had a smart big sister, and I really could have used one."

Gi giggled. "I'm younger than you."

"Not today you aren't." Wheeler sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Linka's gonna carve me up and have me for breakfast."

Gi jumped up with him. "Give her some credit."

"She's gonna find the pictures and turn them into her screensaver." Wheeler insisted. "Which, under other circumstances, I'd be okay with..."

"Call your brother."

"She's gonna wait till our next fight, and throw Trish...  _and those photos_ , back in my face, and I'm gonna sit there stewing because there's nothing I can say against the truth." Wheeler insisted.

"Call your brother!" Gi insisted.

Wheeler pulled out his cell phone. "Polly, it's me. You saw? Yeah, put him on. And um... stay close."

* * *

Wheeler didn't say much for the next few hours. When they went to the airport to collect the other three, he came out of himself long enough to avoid the press as they went to meet the plane. First Class was let off first.

One glance at their faces was all he needed. They'd seen the news. They'd seen everything.

Kwame gave him a solid look, and shook his hand firmly, not letting his gaze so much as waver. "Don't ever forget the times you made us proud."

"I'll try." Wheeler said quietly.

Ma-Ti looked at him and smiled vacantly. What he was smiling at wasn't too clear. Linka did not look sorry for him, and Wheeler was grateful for that.

"Now, do we have time to make The Reclaimer opening?" Kwame asked as they walked.

"Lizzie has a car waiting for us." Gi put in. "How'd it go in Chicago?"

"We may have to avoid Chicago for a while." Kwame said coolly as they headed for the exits. "So, how do you think the week is going so far? Scale of one to ten?"

Gi put her arm in his and they strolled off, leaving Linka and Wheeler alone for a moment.

"How are you holding up?" Linka asked finally.

"I've had better days." Wheeler admitted. "I'm more worried about JJ."

"How so?"

"He's got a crush on a girl for the first time. And his family just became a checkout line anecdote. And it's all my fault."

Linka felt for him, but didn't let the pity show on her face. "He's also joined the Planet Foundation. His life's ambition is to join the World Watchers, go to Hope Island, and help us do our work. That hasn't changed." She looked at him sincerely. "You're still his hero Wheeler."

Wheeler nodded, and started to follow the others. "I suppose."

Linka fell into step next to him. "You know that I'd never make a fool of you the way she is right now."

"I know." Wheeler acknowledged. "And you know I'd never do that again. Not with you, not with anyone. I'm not that guy any more."

"I know." Linka nodded, and that was that.

* * *

They made it all the way to the car, and shut the door behind them. "So what do you think is really going on here?" Gi asked once they had privacy.

"I have no idea." Wheeler admitted.

"What do you mean?" Kwame asked.

Gi started counting on her fingers. "We get an invitation to a Black Tie Event, out of the blue. An event that later proves to be a setup for Stumm to announce this new project, and make sure everyone knows we were invited. Then we get a price on our heads. Then we get  _warned_  about it. A warning that nobody but  _my mother_  is following. Then Elias is killed, likely as a trap for us. A trap sprung by a police officer of impeachable character, who seemed to want us to kill him doing it. Then this mess with Wheeler."

"You think it's all connected?" Kwame wondered.

" _Everything_  is connected. I think this is a bad week for us, and something about Stumm makes me look for conspiracies." Gi answered.

"Me too." Linka agreed.

Wheeler shook his head. "From Hope Island to New York, to the Congo, back to New York, halfway to Hope Island, to Brazil, to Chicago, then back to New York. I honestly couldn't tell you what  _day_  it is to save my life. I can't figure out conspiracies right now."

* * *

JJ was at the Planet Foundation Hall. He had received a phone call from his teachers, warning him that a few less scrupulous photographers were hanging out outside the school, so he avoided school for the day. The Planet Foundation Hall had its own greenhouse tacked on to the back of the building after they'd bought it, and JJ spent a lot of him time in there. It was sort of like his own version of Wheeler's night garden. One of the Foundation's main functions was restoring natural lands and starting up urban and community gardens and parks. The Planet Foundation often spent days with their members out planting trees and cleaning up lots, or improving parks. One such day was planned for the following weekend, and so the greenhouse was full of tree saplings.

"Hey."

JJ straightened, but didn't turn. "Hey, Emily."

She gestured at the saplings. "They seem bigger than I would have thought."

JJ nodded. "Yep. We don't start them out as seeds, cause it takes too long. Somebody plants the seeds, they grow till they get this big, and then they sell them to us." He sounded wretched. "They spend years making them grow healthy, and we spend a few days planting them. If we're lucky, they spend decades doing what trees do… if they're unlucky some idiot comes along and rips them apart. It's New York, happens all the time. You take this thing that took years to grow, and you just snap it in half. And for what? Why do people do these things?"

He wasn't talking about the saplings, and Emily knew it.

JJ sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't… You don't deserve to have this laid on you."

Emily smirked a little. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Sure."

"I had no idea who your brother was."

JJ laughed. "Really?"

"'Johnston' is a pretty common name. I came in today and everyone was walking on eggshells, whispering about something or other, and I didn't know what it was." Emily seemed embarrassed. "When they told me, I was stunned."

"What are they saying?" JJ asked, morbidly curious.

"Mostly that it isn't anyone's business. That it's terrible what people will do for money, and it's terrible that it gets put on the news."

"Sure." JJ scoffed. "Everyone hates it when scandals make the tabloids. That's why tabloids that run the scandals on the front page always sell out every copy."

Emily came forward and knelt down next to him. "Can I help?"

She wasn't talking about the saplings, and JJ knew it. "I don't see how."

Emily sighed, conceding the fact. "You like Pizza?"

"Only with my oxygen."

Emily smiled amazingly. "Come have a slice with me when you're done here."

"Thought you were vegan."

"Vegetarian for me and animal killing bloody death slices for you." Emily teased.

"Are you sure you want to? Who knows what a photo of me might go for?"

Emily's eyebrows rose into her hairline.

JJ paled. "I meant like reporters... Not like my brother… I mean, not that I wouldn't… I mean, not that I  _would_ …" He gave up and interrupted himself. "Stop talking now, JJ."

Emily giggled a little.

"If you think you can survive my family,  _or_  me; I would really like to go get pizza with you today." JJ tried again.

Emily seemed amused. "I'd like that too."


	4. Boom!

The sun was high in the sky, and made a great photo of the Reclaimer facility in upstate New York. Far from Manhattan, there was plenty of farm country and small houses here and there. In a fairly isolated spot, framed by natural lands and a river that would eventually lead into the Hudson, was the Reclaimer.

Their first impression of it, was that it was a beautiful building. It didn't seem like a factory. Factories weren't so... bright and gleaming, like it had been made from marble and ivory. It was surrounded by trees and gardens. There were water features out the front, and it reached at least twenty stories high.

"No smokestacks." Gi observed. "That's encouraging."

"Hmm." Kwame said to himself. "Doesn't look like a factory."

"It looks like a summer retreat for wealthy executives." Linka said.

"Naw, no tennis court." Wheeler quipped.

"It's probably on the roof."

"Nope. According to the Press Packet, the roof is covered by a community garden for all employees, as well as a tree farm. It's said that the factory has a partnership deal with the local communities for tree saplings. They get started on the roof of this building, the warmth of the factory is good for growing them apparently, and then the trees get sold for planting to local areas." Wheeler recited from the packet they had been sent. "I wonder if JJ knows about that. Planeteer Hall does a lot of that sort of thing..."

"Ever get the feeling something can be too good to be true?" Linka quipped.

"Sure, when I met you." Wheeler shot back. "Then you started talking and I knew you were."

"Oh yeah?" Linka pounced. "Well what about your..."

"Back you two! Back to your corners!" Kwame interrupted. "Wheeler, tell us about the process."

"Well, that's the thing. I have no idea." Wheeler admitted. "The Press releases say that it's a new method, and they're keeping it secret, for internal security. Patent protection."

"That's the Press Release." Gi offered. "VIP Tour is on the schedule for today. We might get an answer then."

* * *

As the car pulled in, they were met at the door, and shown into the building by a perky blonde who smiled too much. "Hi, My name is Gina, and I'll be your guide this afternoon. I gotta say, it's really exciting to have you here! We're all huge fans of your work. We're still expecting a few other guests to join us for our special grand opening day, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, though most of them will probably be answered on the Tour. We've got a great room set up for you, until the others get here, and- **STOP**!"

The five of them froze. Gina's way of talking without pausing for breath had them all caught up in the pace she set, and the sudden halt was jarring, to say the least.

Gina had a huge ditzy smile on her face. "Sorry, I don't know where my empty head is at most days. For the sake of internal security, I'm afraid we must insist that you not use any mobile devices. If you'll turn them over to our Reception staff, they'll keep them here."

The five Planeteers traded a look, as did most of the tour group, but they didn't really have much of a reason to argue with it, so they handed over their phones.

"Our Recycling technology is a closely guarded secret. We're the only ones that have it, you see." Gina explained. "All recording devices are to be kept away from our production line during the tour. Now if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your waiting room."

* * *

They were not kept waiting long. The Tour was made up of the Planeteers, several members of the Press, and a few people that Gi recognized as heads of various industrial companies.

They recognized the Planeteers of course. One or two of them even had some advice for Wheeler on how to handle his press issues.

Gi was right at home, happily talking innovation and business with the Industrial guests, Wheeler sat by himself as much as possible.

Eventually though, the Tour began. The large group of people was met by Bligh, who was dressed in her usual jumpsuit again, with a white lab coat over the top, and her two-tones blonde hair worn in a loose ponytail.

"Good morning. On behalf of Mr Stumm and the Corporation, I'd like to welcome you to the Opening Tour of the Reclaimer facility. As the factory begins production, we're planning on making it open to the general public, but today was by invitation only. The question of Battery recycling is one of the less talked about environmental concerns before us today, but is no less serious that a lot of waste disposal. In a lot of ways, it's the most serious. It's our hope that the Reclaimer technology will prove successful for us, and for all of you. Gathered with us here today are captains of industry, honored members of the press, and the leading figures in the Green Technology Revolution. Today you're going to see something that's never been seen before, and with any luck, something that will change the way we do business for the better."

Polite applause answered her. Bligh's face was not exactly scowling, but it was clear that she didn't enjoy public speaking. She didn't play to the audience; her speech was pre-written for her. But the point was made, and the carefully selected audience were excited to hear about this matter, so they barely noticed.

"Now then, we have much to do today, so if you'll indulge us, we will break up the tour into groups." Bligh announced. "If you'll check your ID's, you'll notice that they are color coded. We've got a tight tour schedule so that each group can see everything in rotation." She gestured over toward the door. "These will be your guides for the day, so if you'll find your groups quickly, we can get started."

Everyone checked their tags. The Planeteers were split into two groups. Kwame, Linka, Gi and Ma-Ti were in one group; Wheeler in the second; plus a third group made up of people they didn't know.

* * *

The Tour was almost interesting. Except that they weren't learning anything. The Press had their recorders and their notepads out the entire time, scribbling down notes as fast as the Tour guides could talk. The industrial types were paying attention, but their guide was only talking about the construction of the building, and the incidental divisions of the place.

"Over twelve thousand workers were involved in the construction of the Reclaimer, making it a major source of revenue for-"

Wheeler tuned it out after a while. The Reclaimer Tour had taken them through the office space, the roof gardens, the Office Gym, the Lunch Rooms… The Industrial Center had been neatly avoided. The production line had been glimpsed through a viewing window from an above corridor, but Wheeler didn't have a clue what he was looking at. The machines that did the world of this place were huge but incomprehensible.

The Fire Planeteer sent a look at his tour companions. Some of them were wealthy industrialists, and had been building and running factories like this themselves. They all looked frankly envious, recognizing the wealth behind this factory, and the potential profit it could yield. But none of them seemed to know how it worked either.

Wheeler hung back a but. "So." He said to one of his companions at random. "You have any idea how the battery sludge gets recycled?"

The man in question shook his head. "None. There's some serious money going into it, based on that factory floor, but how it's done… They're playing the cards close to the chest."

"Who can blame them?" Volunteered another. "Rumor is that there's going to be a shake-up in the business world soon. Rumor is that State law is about to vote on a bill that will require all businesses to recycle batteries. By law. This is the only place in existence that knows how to recycle batteries."

" _Another_ monopoly for the Corporation." Wheeler said grimly.

Their Tour Guide piped up brightly. "Excuse me, folks; but we're a little behind schedule, the second group will be through here shortly."

They all started to follow her when Wheeler noticed a quick movement out of the corner of his eye. It was the way someone moved when they were hoping not to be seen. He turned to the viewing window, trying to follow it, and saw a tall blonde woman with a white lab coat slipping through the factory, trying to go unnoticed.

Bligh.

Wheeler glanced at his tour group. They were moving on quickly, apparently being rushed out.

Suspicious, Wheeler glanced around. No sign of the others. He reached for his phone automatically before remembering it had been checked at the door.

Bligh was through the door with a glance over her shoulder. There was nobody in the factory room. It wasn't running yet, but she still checked. But she didn't look the next level up, above her head at the viewing window, where Wheeler watched her.

Biting his lip, Wheeler slipped away from his group as they walked, and checked the evacuation plan on the wall, trying to figure out how to catch up to Bligh quickly.

* * *

Watching on the security screens, Stumm smirked.

_**I told you that he would be the one to break.** _

"You did." Stumm admitted. "The others?"

_**All is proceeding according to plan.** _

Stumm was aware of Bligh's assistant Mal watching him sideways. He didn't feel any need to call him on it. Mal was like Bligh: They preferred to do their work without anyone watching. And Mal would only hear one half of the conversation, which made anything he saw hard to explain. Stumm was several levels above Mal's paygrade, and that would have made anyone a little nervous. "Mal?

Mal turned to face him fully, pretending he hadn't been staring. "Sir?"

Stumm waved at the security monitors. "You _will_ of course make sure that the footage of this is destroyed."

"Not a problem sir, we're not even recording it right now."

* * *

Wheeler had dodged hall monitors, teachers, gangs, ex-girlfriends and various officials for most of his life. Staying hidden was relatively easy for him. Bligh was doing something. At every room she came to, she was keying the pass-codes into all the electronic locks; being careful not to let the door shut behind her.

Wheeler was getting worried. It made it easy for him to follow her, but there was only one reason he could think of for her to want the doors unlocked as she went... Because she was going to be in a hurry on the return trip.

He tailed her as she made her way from the production line, to somewhere deeper in the factory. Wheeler didn't know what any of the equipment was for, but he could tell that this was the core of the facility. And there was nobody there. A point that worried him. This was a factory, about to be opened, so where was everyone?

They came into another large room, and this was full of things that Wheeler recognized. Having worked to build skyscrapers and factories, he recognized this. This room was for heat, power, and water distribution. Fuses for the building's electrics, generators for an uninterrupted power supply, water pipes that would lead to every washroom and faucet in the factory… Effectively the nerve center for the building.

Bligh went over to the far wall, where a row of lockers were lined up. Wheeler had worked on construction sites for most of his adult life and knew the sorts of things that were kept in lockers like that. The duffel bag that Bligh pulled out was not standard issue.

The way she carried it showed how heavy it was. Wheeler pressed himself against the side of one of the generators, keeping an eye on her as he peeked around the corner. The sound of the running generator drowned out any sounds she was making, but he was glad, because it would have kept any noises he made hidden in return. She set the duffel bag on a table, and unzipped it.

Wheeler couldn't get a good look at it, but he could see bright red LED numbers. Bligh was fiddling with something inside the bag, and after a moment she zipped it shut again, and slid the duffel bag in between two of the automated Machines.

Wheeler felt his eyes widen. It couldn't be what it looked like. Why would Bligh be trying to blow up a factory that The Corporation built?

Bligh was working a small remote. It had two blinking lights on it. The intention of the device was clear.

Wheeler's instincts were screaming as Bligh turned back the way she came, walking faster now.

It was enough for him. If he could even delay her, she would have to talk, stop what she was doing, or be blown up with them. "What are you doing?" He demanded of her.

Bligh spun smoothly, wasting no time on surprise. Before Wheeler could blink, she had her gun drawn and pointed.

Wheeler swung his Ring up fast.

Too late.

* * *

"...and now if you'll follow us." The Tour Guide was calling. "We have a short presentation for you to-"

BOOM!

People screamed and ducked instinctively. The room rolled like an earthquake was happening, but it lasted only a second.

"Everyone! Please remain calm! I don't know what-"

BOOM!

More screaming. The lights went out instantly and windows shattered. Sound of things crashing came through the whole building.

"Would everyone clear the room, please?" Their guide shouted, staying professional. "If you'll follow me, we'll proceed to the emergency exits…"

Kwame turned to the guide. "Let us stay. We can help."

"Sir, I don't know what the problem is yet. Any help you can provide will be up to the emergency services when they get here, right now you are _not_ employees, and we need to get all _visitors_ out of the facility!"

* * *

Wheeler woke up, gasping for air. The last thing he remembered was Bligh lunging at him before he could conjure a flame…

Wheeler coughed again, and he suddenly realized why he couldn't breathe.

The room was on fire.

Wheeler ducked low and raised his Ring. "…f…" The smoke was bad, the heat was worse. The flames had consumed all the air in the room and what little was left was filled with thick, black smoke. Wheeler was in nine kinds of pain and couldn't breathe, let alone speak. It took everything he had to get the magic word out. "…fire."

His ring glimmered, and the flames around him responded. They opened for him like a curtain had been pulled back. Wheeler shook his head hard. He was seeing three of everything; he was weaving a bit…

He saw what looked like the door and made his way toward it, trusting the fire to let him pass without burning him.

* * *

The Planeteers had been hustled out to the courtyard, well away from the building. The rest of the staff was there too. They looked panicked. Ma-Ti confirmed that their feelings were genuine.

That little piece of the truth made the rest of them nervous. If this was a real emergency…

"Where is he?" Linka demanded. "He's not with the tour group; he's not in the evacuation, where the hell is he?"

"Calm down." Kwame turned to Ma-Ti. "Can you find Wheeler?"

The boy looked at the walls of the building, apparently seeing through them.

"He'll be okay Linka." Gi said gently. "It's a fire. There's no fire made that Wheeler can't control. You know that."

Linka spun on her. "Then where is he?"

Ma-Ti pointed to the side of the Reclaimer facility. "He is there. He is... confused... angry?"

"He's in trouble!" Linka said sharply. "Ma-Ti, how do I get to him?"

Another blast of flame erupted from somewhere in the building, making everyone jump.

"Wheeler, what the hell are you _doing_ in there?" Gi hissed to herself.

* * *

Wheeler could feel his head clearing as he moved. Enough that he took a look at the evacuation plan on the wall. The smoke was pouring through thick and fast, and Wheeler ducked down below the smoke, the flames moving away from him.

He was still more than a little punch drunk, barely aware of where he was. With the room black with smoke, and him miserably short of breath as a result, his head was pounding horribly, his lungs and throat were burning, and he couldn't even remember which way the door was.

Finally, he couldn't take it any more. "Fi… _cough_ … FIRE!"

The flames exploded away from him toward every corner of the room, and twisted in the air at his command. Wheeler pushed his hand out like he was throwing a punch, and the flame snaked across the production line like a battering ram made of solid flames.

Wheeler chased after it as he blasted a door straight through the wall, into the next room, which quickly caught alight as the flame moved through it like a living snake of heat and destruction.

And Wheeler, still trying to breathe, just kept moving, safe in the center of a tornado of flame that ripped through the walls and rooms like a wave.

* * *

The other Planeteers were still trying to get back into the building when the wall exploded, thankfully away from the crowd. A blast of flame erupted out from the wall, and kept moving forward, a few feet off the ground.

Wheeler emerged from the building an instant later, and the flame wall vanished as he dropped to his knees in the daylight.

"Wind!" Linka called, and the breeze kicked up sharply, sending all the smoke away from his heaving body. The Planeteers ran forward before the emergency services could stop them, and they ran toward him.

Wheeler was completely out of it as the four of them carried his body over to the paramedics. One of them quickly put an oxygen mask over his face and cranked it up. The condensation on the face mask meant he was breathing, and his eyelids moved as he thrashed somewhat in his near delirium.

Relieved, the Planeteers sagged, as the emergency crews moved in quickly. Kwame noticed a few reporters and press were pointing cameras in their direction and felt a chill. Whatever had gone on in there, it was going to be public knowledge soon enough.

The Reclaimer, a huge investment on behalf of the most powerful businessmen in the world, was burning.

* * *

Wheeler came back to himself slowly, his lungs burning cold and his throat in agony. He was wrapped in something warm, but he could feel chills running through his whole body. The beeping sounds of the machines in the ambulance made his headache seem sharper, but the more he breathed, the easier it seemed to go.

The more he was aware of himself, the more the picture came together. He could still smell smoke, though it seemed to be coming from him more than anything else. He could hear the hiss of hoses, the crackle of flames, and the indistinct shouting of people. A few voices he thought he recognized.

His vision cleared, and he managed to make out Ma-Ti, holding the oxygen mask over his face. "Ma-Ti?"

_Do not speak. We're alone for now, as I convinced the paramedic to leave us for a while, but you're injured._ Ma-Ti's voice rolled through him. _I can hear you, but rest your throat._

_What happened?_

_We were hoping you could tell us._ Ma-Ti said lightly. _All we know is that we were on a Tour of the Reclaimer, and then things started blowing up._

Wheeler's memory of the whole thing was foggy. _I remember waking up in the middle of a burning room…_ He suddenly broke down coughing into his oxygen mask.

Ma-Ti bit his lip. "Wheeler... You can sense fires burning... but you can create flame too. By manipulating things than can burn, including the air itself... Linka can manipulate air movement, Gi can manipulate water... None of you create these things, you just... command them." He swallowed. "I haven't done this before, but I have to know if..."

Wheeler felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as Ma-Ti took his hands gently. The boy closed his eyes, and the golden jewel on his Ring shone brightly.

Wheeler shivered, and felt his skin prickle, like he had just climbed into a hot bath. The glow from Ma-Ti's ring seemed to wrap around him. He gasped in a big breath, and realized to his shock that it was coming much easier than it had a moment ago. The shivers and chills in his skin stopped. The strangest feeling of his skin crawling came over him, and he threw back the blanket in shock to see his burns were fading, his vision getting sharper...

Ma-Ti released him and slumped. "That's enough." He said quietly. "I don't want to... push this too far."

Wheeler sat up, feeling stronger, though his throat still hurt. "That was... amazing."

Ma-Ti nodded. "Life is... complex. The more I learn about what I can do... the more I realize I have a lot left to learn."

Wheeler was silent a moment, and got up. "You think that's true of all of us? All our powers?"

"I do." Ma-Ti agreed.

Wheeler clambered out of the ambulance. "Let's see if we can help."

* * *

The Reclaimer was burning, but the fire seemed contained. Two trucks worth of firemen were battling the flames with their hoses, and Gi was ahead of the charge, Ring glowing. The spray of water from the fire hoses was floating in the air, turning this way and that like a ribbon, drawing itself through every open flame, through the windows and doors, until the fire retreated.

Linka was right there with them. "Let's go!" She yelled, and the fire-teams went running into the building, Linka leading the charge, Ring-First, and the smoke billowed out as she pushed fresh air in with them; Gi backing them all the way in.

Kwame was well away from the building, helping out with the crowd as best he could. The police had apparently arrived, and were doing their best to keep the crowds and the press under control.

"K-" Wheeler tried to shout over to his team mate, and broke down coughing. He sounded like a frog with a head cold.

Kwame had noticed him anyway, and came running over. "Wheeler. I'm… a little surprised to see you up and around. At last count, it was going to take some serious recovery time to get you back on your feet."

"Ma-Ti." Wheeler explained hoarsely. "He did a thing."

Kwame didn't have a clue what that meant, but he understood. "How are you feeling?"

"Grilled." Wheeler whispered. "Ironic, huh?"

Kwame smirked a little when they heard the nearest fireman's radio start to squawk. The fireman answered, before breaking into huge smiles.

Kwame and Wheeler went back over to them. "What are they telling you officer?"

The Fire Marshall smiled. "Looks like your friends got the job done fast. The fire is out inside. You guys have any idea what caused the explosion?"

Kwame glanced at Wheeler, and shook his head quickly. "Not yet. What are the chances you can tell us?"

"Hard to say. It's a new facility, and apparently has secrets of it's own. We won't know if this was an accident or equipment failure, or human error for a while. Problem with investigating fires is… Anything the fire doesn't destroy, the firemen usually do."

"WHEELER!"

The American turned, and saw Gi and Linka coming out of the building. Linka was running toward him quickly, almost tackling him. "God, are you okay?"

"Why Linka, this-" Wheeler broke down hacking and coughing.

She broke the hug and gave him a look. "I don't know what the end of that sentence was going to be, but if you couldn't make it there, you should probably be sitting down."

* * *

The Planeteers returned to the ambulance, and Wheeler obediently took the oxygen mask back over his face again. Several minutes passed as Wheeler breathed deeply, letting his lungs settle. Kwame spoke with the paramedics, revising their plans to take Wheeler to the hospital, and Ma-Ti explained to the others what he had done.

"There's still so much we don't know about these powers." Kwame murmured.

"That's to be expected though." Gi said. "Our powers are elemental. We're still figuring out how such things interact in nature. Why should these be any different?"

There was a knock at the side of the ambulance, and a paramedic stuck his head in. "Excuse me folks, but if your friend isn't going with us, then we could really use this ambulance for others. Plus, there are some questions to an answered. A couple of cops are waiting for you."

The Planeteers got out of the ambulance, and made their way over to a police car. Two uniformed officers were waiting for them.

"Good afternoon. Mr Deka, we'd like to take you back to the precinct. We have a few questions about what happened in there."

"Are we under arrest?" Wheeler asked.

"No sir, we're just trying to establish the timeline of what happened. It's a routine part of any investigation. If you're not needed her urgently, we'd like for you to come with us please."

The Planeteers were about to answer, when a voice flowed gently through them, sounding like the river as it raced, or the earth when it trembled. **Don't go with them Young Ones. They are not there to help you.**

Kwame glanced over. The Planeteers had heard it, but the people surrounding them hadn't.

Ma-Ti's voice came a moment later. _Gaia's never warned us directly like this before. What has changed?_

_I don't know, but a police officer tried to kill us the other day. I'm prepared to accept there's more to this than we know._

_If we get killed, we never find out. I'd prefer not to replay the mistakes of the week._

All this went between them swiftly, and Kwame broke into an easy smile. "Officer, we'll be done helping with the cleanup in a few minutes. Wait here, we'll be right back."

"Actually, I'll meet you back at your car." The policeman said, just as easily. "Take your time, we can wait."

The Planeteers never went back to the cars. They instead made their way over to the edge of the property. Ma-Ti made a guard look the other way, Wheeler shut down a few cameras; and they slipped past the fence line without anyone noticing.

* * *

"They were waiting at our car to make sure we couldn't slip back. We should stay off the roads." Wheeler croaked.

"Don't talk." Linka told him. "Your throat is damaged."

"If we stay off the roads, how do we get back to the city?" Gi asked.

Ma-Ti nodded. "The same way I got from my village to America when we got together. I can find us some transport. The problem is what to do when we get there? We're well known enough that a lot of people are going to notice that we've vanished."

"I know that I'm willing to take Gaia's word for it when she says we're in danger." Kwame said.

"Me too." Wheeler croaked.

"Don't talk!" Linka repeated.

Wheeler glared at her. "Enjoying this much?"

"Don't talk!" Linka fussed. "Let your throat heal."

Ma-Ti peeled off. "I'll find a ride for us."

"I have a bad feeling about this. People we can't figure out are following us around, and there are dead bodies showing up." Linka said.

Wheeler shook his head. "I know. It's getting thick real quick. I should have called JJ the second we found out about the hit list. I gotta go back and get him out of the apartment."

"Don't talk!" Three Planeteers shouted at him.

Kwame nodded. "All right. We don't go anywhere alone. Call him, have him meet us somewhere. We'll get the Geo-Cruiser heated up, and we'll head for Hope Island."

"How are you going to call him?" Gi asked. "They took our phones for the Tour."

Wheeler's mouth became a very thin flat line. His Ring was glowing from the force of his contained frustration. Gi stepped back and threaded her fingers through his. He gave her a quick nod.

Ma-Ti came back a moment later. "I have transport for us." He said. "It's a Moving Van, so we'll have to ride in the back, but the driver can be convinced that he never so much as slowed down, so he won't be able to tell anyone. He's on his way to New York."

"Then we should hurry, before someone wonders why he's pulled over." Kwame said.

* * *

The ride took several hours. Once they got into the city, the traffic and the stoplights forced the truck to stop a number of times. Wheeler put his eye to the side of the truck, looking for landmarks, and told them when they were close enough to anything they recognized.

Wheeler told him everything he remembered about rhe blast during the trip.

"Why would Bligh sabotage the Reclaimer?" Linka asked. "To frame Wheeler?"

"The Reclaimer is a huge deal. They've been talking it up all week; they poured millions of dollars into it. If they wanted to ruin us, there's plenty of other ways. Cheaper ways."

"What if Bligh was working alone? It wouldn't be the first time she screwed her superiors to get ahead."

"Get ahead how?" Kwame offered. "She reports directly to Stumm, where is there for her to go? She'll never take Stumm without going down with him."

Gi bit her lip. "I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Everything is connected... What's the connection between a blast at the Reclaimer, and the murder of Elias Levinson?"

"And those two cops." Wheeler put in, his voice clearing. "Whoever they are, they know we've given them the slip. If they're still looking for us, they'll head for New York to find us again. JJ's a connection to us. I have to get him out of there."

"Agreed." Kwame said. "The Geo-Cruiser's a connection too. We'll have to hide it."

Ma-Ti rubbed his forehead irritably. "We're there."

* * *

New Yorkers as a whole were pretty jaded, so when a moving van pulled to a stop on the Bridge, and the door rolled up to release five young people, nobody so much as blinked. The moved carefully to make sure the driver didn't notice, and traffic started moving again soon after, so anyone who cared to notice quickly diverted their attention elsewhere.

"They took our phones." Wheeler headed toward the nearest payphone. "When I reach JJ, what do I tell him?"

Kwame shrugged. "Tell him everything you know. Maybe he or your father has something else to go on."

"Maybe. I'll tell him to get out and meet us somewhere." Wheeler reached for the phone…

…and it started ringing an instant before he touched it.

They all froze, worried. Just to play it safe, Wheeler left it alone. There were three payphones lined up. He went to the next one…

…and it started ringing too.

"You know, this could go on for a while." Linka said seriously.

"There." Ma-Ti said finally, and they all turned to follow his gaze. A traffic camera had turned away from the street and was now pointed squarely at them.

Wheeler answered the ringing harshly. "Who is this?"

A voice he didn't recognize answered. The voice had a hoarse sulfuric quality to it, as though the man speaking was trying to catch his breath every second. "Don't go home. Your apartment is being watched."

"By who?"

"I don't know for sure, which is why I'm warning you. If I knew what they wanted, I could take care of it myself."

"Who is this?" Wheeler demanded.

"I'm the one who called Linka's parents to warn them you were all targets." The voice responded. "Things are happening very quickly now, and I don't know if I can get you all out of it. Get to Hope Island as fast as you can."

And with that, the phone disconnected.

Wheeler put the phone down and stared at it like a hated enemy.

"What happened?" Linka demanded. "Who was it?"

"He didn't say. He did say however that my home is being watched, and that he doesn't know who or why. He said that he was the one who tipped off your parents, and that we have to get to Hope Island."

Beat.

"I am really getting sick of not knowing who's screwing with us." Linka snarled.

Wheeler took off running. Kwame grabbed him quickly and put him against the nearest wall. "If your home is being watched, then going in there will just make a bad situation worse."

"I can't leave without JJ!" Wheeler snapped.

"I know." Kwame said, in his face. "But Wheeler, the one place he won't be is your apartment."

Long staring contest.

"Okay." Wheeler said finally. "You're right."

Kwame released him, and stayed close enough to catch him again if he was faking reasonableness. "Now." Kwame said. "Once we figure out what we're doing; we'll need to escape. So we'll need an escape route."

Wheeler nodded. "The Geo-Cruiser."

* * *

"Well this is just perfect." Linka hissed. "This is so perfect I might just throw up."

The dock where the Geo-Cruiser was parked was full of people. Ma-Ti was pointing at them one by one, locating the ones that were there legitimately, and the ones that had nefarious intention. Some of them were just standing around; some of them were in uniforms.

"The uniforms are Dock Security and Harbor Patrol." Wheeler whispered. "They fit here. They can stay around the clock."

"The man picking up rubbish with a spike has been stabbing the ground over and over without putting anything into his bag." Ma-Ti said quietly. "I think the homeless guy is wearing a pair of binoculars around his neck, and the woman with the dog has been walking back and forth in front of the dock for the fourth time now..."

"We're surrounded." Gi summed up. "They've already got the Geo-Cruiser locked down, and they're no doubt in the City. If Wheeler's place is being watched..."

Wheeler looked more worried than angry. "What if they've got JJ already?"

"Whoever _they_ are."

Kwame put his hand up. "Okay, listen. We know that someone is after us, and is willing to blow things up. Maybe the tip is genuine, maybe not. Either way, does it seem like a smart move to go where we can be found right now?"

Silence.

"What about a hotel?" Gi suggested.

"The kind of places we can afford without using a credit card, or accessing our accounts… are the kind of places that can't possibly be trusted." Ma-Ti said. "And I can't convince _everyone_ to look the other way."

Wheeler looked slightly sick. "I know the last place in New York that anybody will think to look for us."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

In a Statement just released, Vernan Stumm announced that the investigations into the explosion at the Reclaimer Grand Opening is underway, but has not yet released any findings. The Facilities' internal security footage is currently being studied for clues as to the cause of the blast.

Mr Stumm assured shareholders that their schedule has not been changed at all. Government and Industrial customers have announced that their investments are not in any way under reconsideration. The Reclaimer will still open on schedule. Business analysts suggest that despite high fees for use of the Recycling technology, it may become the legal standard for all industrial or commercial businesses to make use of the Reclaimer facilities by years end."

* * *

Trish Allen was amazed when she opened her apartment door to find Wheeler on her doorstep. The shock on her face gave way to open terror and she tried to slam the door quickly; though Wheeler was faster and managed to get there first, sticking his foot in before it closed. "Trish, I'm not here to set you on fire, I promise!"

Trish shoved hard once more, failed to get the door shut, and jumped away quickly from the door, and he slipped in, closing it behind them. She backed away from him in panic. "Wheeler, I know you're mad, but I can explain."

Wheeler didn't seem at all angry. "Okay. Go ahead and explain."

Trish licked her lips. "Fifty thousand dollars."

Wheeler let out a low whistle. "I'd sell dirty photos of you for that."

Trish nodded. "I know."

"No I wouldn't! Of course not! Jeez, Trish!" Wheeler snapped. "Listen, I'm not here about that."

"Why _are_ you here?" Trish demanded. "According to Twitter, you should be in hospital."

"You follow my Twitter feed?"

"Sure."

Wheeler paused. "I _have_ a Twitter feed?"

"Actually, it's a bunch of people who put up news alerts and stuff about you."

Wheeler shook his head firmly. "Whatever. Trish… I know that we're not on the best of terms. I don't blame you for hating me…"

"Hate you? Wheeler, don't think for a second that I was in here scribbling 'Mrs Trish Johnston' in my diary. I knew what it was. I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you. Not at all."

Wheeler blinked. "Then why?"

"Fifty thousand dollars." Trish said, as though that explained everything. "Things haven't changed Wheels, I still got the bank hounding my mom about her debts, and the rent on this place went up..."

Wheeler held up his hands. "Hey! Hey, you don't have to tell me how useful fifty grand is. I know the score. I did when we went out too."

"We never went out, we stayed in all weekend." Trish shot back. "So, why are you here now?"

"I need someone who can do a stupid thing and not worry about it."

Trish smirked. "Never turned that down that offer from you before."

Wheeler smiled a little grimly. "Ditto."

* * *

"This. Is. A Bad. Idea." Linka said. "This… girl can't be trusted."

"Wheeler's not wrong though. It's the last place anyone would look for us." Gi offered.

"There is a _reason_ for that!"

Above them, a window opened. "Come on in guys."

Kwame jumped up enough to grab the fire-escape. "Ma-Ti, make sure nobody thinks to look out their windows."

Ma-Ti's ring glimmered, and they climbed their way up.

* * *

Trish held the curtains back meekly as four more worldwide superstars came into her home through the window.

"We appreciate you doing this." Kwame said shortly. Ma-Ti nodded at her as though he couldn't see her, and Linka gave her a look that made her want to beg forgiveness for breathing.

Gi came in last. "Can I use your computer?"

* * *

Gi tore apart her cell phone details, and then did the same with all of theirs, via an online site that logged their apps and usages. "Okay, here's what I know. Someone has activated our phones in the last five hours. All I know is that they were switched on; and it was after the blast at the Reclaimer plant."

"If someone got to our phones, then they've got our address books, our speed dial lists… everyone we talk to. Everyone we trust." Wheeler growled.

"Gi, is there any way to make sure they can't use our phones?"

"I'm using a phone app through their website Kwame, this is a household PC, not the CIA." Gi complained. "Besides, if they've turned them on, they've already got everything on our phones."

Wheeler had gone straight to Trish's phone, blocked the caller ID, and called home. The phone rang twice before someone picked it up. "Hello?"

Wheeler froze. He didn't recognize the voice. "Who is this?"

"Is this Wheeler Johnston?"

Wheeler hung up instantly. Then picked up the phone again and called Polly. The phone rang nine times before Wheeler gave up and put the phone down. "Somebody's in my house and it's not my family." He growled. His ring was glowing brightly.

Linka was at his side in seconds. "Wheeler, be smart about this."

"I know." Wheeler growled. "But if they've got my brother…"

"You don't know that. If they had him, they'd find a way to let you know. If they don't, then you going home will be a disaster."

"Whoever _they_ are." Wheeler growled. "I would give my right hand to know who was pulling the strings on this one."

"JJ's okay. If they had him, they'd find a way to tell us so they could use him as bait." She told him quietly.

The phone rang. Everyone stared at it as though it was dangerous. Trish stepped forward when Linka clapped a hand on her shoulder. "No."

"Linka, it's her house." Wheeler told her. "She isn't our prisoner."

"I can put it on speaker." Trish offered.

The Planeteers looked to Kwame, who nodded. Linka released her and Trish hit the speakerphone. "Hello?"

"Trish? This is Gary over at the London Daily." Answered a voice in a British Accent, and everyone tensed and relaxed simultaneously. "You've probably seen the news."

Everyone looked uncomfortable. Wheeler didn't seem to care, Linka's glare got fiercer.

Trish swallowed. "I saw. Now's not a good time…"

"The Reclaimer headlines alone have driven up the circulation of the latest Issue. We're planning to extend our run. There are a few websites offering big money for the rest of the photos. The ones we couldn't publish ourselves. Nobody will know that they came from yo-"

" _Really_ , not a good time!" Trish insisted, mortified. "Can I call you back later?"

"Sure, you've got the number." Gary said brightly. "Talk to you later."

He hung up. Long silence.

Longer silence.

Trish spoke finally. "Coffee, anyone?"

* * *

Getting coffee took about ten minutes. Trish came out of her kitchen and found Gi sitting alone in her living room at her laptop.

"Where are the others?" Trish asked.

"They're in the next room, trying to decide if trusting you enough to come here was a ghastly mistake."

Trish didn't seem surprised. "What do you think?"

"I think you'd do things from a distance for money that you wouldn't do our faces." Gi said lightly. "I think it's easier to just let someone else..."

"Don't." Trish said plainly. "Let me ask you something... where'd you go to school?"

Gi blinked. "Tokyo Tech."

"Prestigious school?"

"Yeah."

Trish nodded, like that was expected. "When you graduated, you get job offers?"

"Sure."

"Take any of them?"

Gi shrugged. "Actually... I stayed home for a while. Just wanted to take some time off, took up surfing..."

"How long?"

"A year or two. Three." Gi conceded. "But I skipped a few grades..."

Trish nodded slowly. "Mm-hm. So, a brilliant, pretty girl with a good home life, a family willing to support you while you took a few years off so you could surf, after blitzing your way through a prestigious school and having her future offered from every quarter..." Trish glared. "You don't get to judge. My family was in pieces before I was born. I dropped out of a high school full of gangs and metal detectors, before I ever got to take my exams; because I had to support my mom, and I had to beg for a job serving coffee and pie. You don't get to judge. Wheeler can. Wheeler's like me. I could tell you horror stories about what him and his old group of friends used to get up to. He made it through armed with talent and hard work. He was going to get out of here and make something of himself, and then his mom died, and he got kicked out of Yale because his roommate was a sleaze, and his dad got new orders. He was old before he was twenty, like me. How old are you? I bet you still get emotional over sad scenes in animated movies."

Gi didn't have an answer to that.

Trish nodded, authority restored. "Little girl, you don't belong in our world. Wheeler has every right to be pissed, but he's like me. People like him and me... all we got, is what we got. I look after myself and my family, because nobody else will. Just like Wheeler. If I got the magic powers and he didn't, he would have sold the story too. You can't eat pride and dignity don't pay the rent. If I'm not trustworthy; then neither is Wheeler. We live in the real world, surfer girl. Do we understand each other?"

Feeling three feet tall, Gi nodded.

* * *

In the next room, the same conversation was playing out.

"We can't stay here. It's not safe here."

"I could take care of it." Ma-Ti offered. "I could make it so that she doesn't even know we're here. I could convince her to help us wholeheartedly."

"Like you did with your parents?" Wheeler said, low and calm.

Everyone paused, looking back and forth from Ma-Ti to Wheeler.

Ma-Ti looked down.

Wheeler sighed hard. "Sorry. That was cold. But… no, we're not brainwashing Trish."

Linka nodded. "I agree. It would be better if we just got away from here. I say we get back to the Geo-Cruiser, head back to Hope Island, figure things out there."

"I'm not leaving without finding my brother." Wheeler said hotly.

"We don't get to the Geo-Cruiser, and it might not matter." Linka argued. "What about all our families? What about Gi's family, or Ma-Ti's, or mine? If we don't get out of this city, then we'll never find any of them in time."

"Then go!" Wheeler snapped. "I'm staying!"

"Hey! Calm Down!" Kwame said. "Now look, whatever we do, it's best we stick together either way."

"Whatever we do?" Linka echoed. "We know what we have to do. We're under siege: We Get Out, then we come back in a time and place of our choosing."

Wheeler glared hotly at her. "The Geo-Cruiser is under lock-down, and our faces are now on a wanted list somewhere."

"You don't know that." Kwame interrupted. "We're pretty sure those two police officers were phoney."

"We're pretty sure one of them was phony. The other was the real deal, we saw the funeral; and the grieving family, on the news. Kwame, Elias Levinson is dead. The hit-list is real. If we're not on a Police Wanted List, there are still people surrounding my family home, and our transport. We just steal it back and run, we'll just convince everyone else that we're guilty and we'll never come back again."

"So what do you want to do?"

"We're celebrities, we've got some capital. People are gonna listen when we talk! I say we stay here, and settle this before we all get thrown in jail."

"We're not here to settle a fight." Linka snapped. "We're here to _win_ it!"

Kwame looked down. "I don't know. Linka, that's a line we can't uncross."

"So we don't uncross it. We've been touring the world trying to convince people. What? Recycle your cans? Forests are being torn down. Whole chunks of the world are unlivable. I get why you want to do this peacefully, but if that were possible, the Planeteers wouldn't exist as a group and we wouldn't be here!"

And then they both turned to Kwame, waiting for a direction.

Kwame sighed. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Wheeler echoed.

Kwame shrugged. "I don't know. We're being manipulated here from six different directions. We have to do something, but what is there to do? What can we do that won't make things worse? Linka, if we attack someone, what happens then? Wheeler, if we try to fight these charges, what can we offer as proof?"

Nobody had any answers.

"Fine." Linka said. "Finefinefine. But we can't stay here for long."

They left with that, and Gi came in a few moments later. "Everything okay?"

Kwame gestured. "I choked."

"I'm sure you didn't-"

"The others were waiting for a smart clear direction, and I don't have one." Kwame sighed. "Gi… I couldn't tell this to anyone but you, but… I don't know what to do." He almost seemed to laugh for a second. "In fact, I almost never have. You guys come up with these brilliant ideas… all I had to do was pick one that seemed like a good idea. During the 'Power is Yours' Tour, we all had good ideas, and we could split up and do them all… Something like this… Back on the Rig, we knew what we had to do. Now… I don't know."

Gi gave him a quick hug. "None of us expect you to be perfect."

"If I'm not perfect… We'll all get killed."

Gi swatted him. "Oh well, thank you so much for the vote of confidence." She joshed him. "Don't lay it all on your own shoulders Kwame. That's what Wheeler's doing in there right now; like everything bad happening to us is because of him, and it's not! You think that if you make a mistake, we'll never recover? Kwame, back at Tokyo Tech, the stakes on our projects were so high, we barely slept for three weeks. And if we only screwed up twice before breakfast, it was a very good day."

Kwame smiled softly at Gi, when Linka's voice called from the next room. "Uhh, you two might want to see this."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"The first series of hearings into the Reclaimer Grand Opening Disaster began today, starting with a shocking development. Repeating our earlier bulletin, we now bring you footage of the hearing itself, now in recess. This was the scene two hours ago."

* * *

Kwame felt his jaw drop as the picture on the screen changed to show the hearing. "Is that Holland? He's leading the investigation?"

"Who's Holland?" Linka asked.

"He's our assistant DA." Trish put in. "He's been in the news lately, 'cause he's running for congress."

"He came to me before the Congo mission." Kwame explained. "He was running on an Eco-tech platform, and he wanted an endorsement. I told him we didn't take part in anything political."

Gi nodded. "If he was backing the Eco-technology as his campaign platform, and he's the DA looking to raise his profile for an election; the Reclaimer was green-Tech and it blew up in his district... It makes sense he'd be all over this."

Wheeler shushed them as on the screen, the public hearing was held, and Holland began grilling the witness.

* * *

"Mr Ryerson, you are the head of the Reclaimer Project, are you not? Effectively the Manager of the facility."

"I am, sir."

"And for the record, can you let us know how long you have held that position?"

"Since the project began last year."

"And before that?"

"Head of Construction for the Reclaimer facility." Ryerson said formally.

Holland was brutal. "All right then let's get right to the guts of it: What Went Wrong?"

Silence.

"Mr Ryerson?" Holland prodded. "Would you like me to repeat the question?"

Ryerson caved. "Honestly, we don't know."

"Do you suspect sabotage?"

"We're… still working on that. I will let Ms Bligh, the head of Corporation Security speak to that topic. She has gathered all the surveillance data."

"Fair enough. Can you tell us about the equipment then?"

Ryerson took in a breath. "Not a whole lot I'm afraid. The Reclaimer prototype is a proprietary technology, under very strict intellectual property and patent laws. I cannot reveal the information in an open court, and at this time we are pretty sure that the explosion wasn't an industrial accident."

"We cannot be certain of that without knowing how the process works."

"And I cannot reveal that to you."

"Well let me help you out then!" Holland growled with some heat. "I have in my hand Exhibit 4a. This is the patent on that proprietary technology."

Ryerson looked horrified, though he tried to cover it. "You… You have what?"

"Yes, this is the patent itself."

"That is a document gained illegally!" Ryerson tried to cover.

"Well let me worry about that will you?" Holland brushed that off. "This patent… is fraudulent. There is no new prototype, no brilliant innovation. I've had four experts on it, and they all agree that there's nothing useful here!"

The room rumbled in shock. Ryerson was sweating.

"Mr Ryerson, the public was promised a new innovation that would provide relief to a number of environmental problems, and we discover to our amazement that it was all a con. If the explosion had never happened, the Reclaimer still would have offered nothing at all to anyone."

"That's not true!' Ryerson shouted.

"Then Explain This!"

"The…" Ryerson seemed to cave in. "The technology works, but it is not a Corporation patent."

The room burst into murmurs again. Holland seemed mollified, but didn't let up on the attack. "Mr Ryerson, you are aware of the penalties involved in copyright and patent infringement."

"Yes sir."

"You are aware that you've just confessed to a crime."

"Yes sir."

"Who _did_ invent the Reclaimer Technology?"

"Well, _technically_ , we did. The prototype was not patented, only the concept. It was an idea that never would have gotten off the ground without the resources and the production capital of The Corporation. But the man who came up with it refused to work for us. We were told to find a solution. Well… we found one. That's why we kept the technology such a tightly guarded secret. We're the only ones who have ever made it work."

"Mr Ryerson, this inquiry has to establish what caused the explosion. Without a clear understanding of the technology, we cannot be sure if it was just equipment failure. Can you give us just such a certainty?"

Ryerson was beaten. "No sir. I only oversaw the construction teams... and took the credit."

"Well then perhaps we should locate the actual inventor, and ask him how the technology works. Who was this man, whom you have left with nothing?"

Ryserson sighed. "His name is Elias Levinson. He's a graduate of Yale University."

* * *

The Planeteers were on their feet instantly.

"That's a lie!" Gi said instantly. "I read his dissertation! He didn't have any grand solution for recycling battery sludge! He just didn't know how!"

"Then why would they steal it from him?" Linka demanded. "Did he figure it out after he left school?"

"I've got a very bad feeling about this." Wheeler said. "They just gave him full credit for the Reclaimer. Just like Stumm gave us full credit for taking out the Rig. He's up to something."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"That was the scene two hours ago, soon after which the inquiry called a recess, so that Mr Ryerson could consult with his legal team. Corporation CEO Vernan Stumm issued a statement soon after saying that he was shocked and saddened by the news that The Corporation had unwittingly been involved in illegal activities by the actions of one trusted employee. The statement goes on to assure the public that at no time was the Corporation, or himself aware of the irregularities of Mr Ryerson's actions, and they were eager to make full payment and give full credit to Elias Levinson for the use of his technology, while the consider what to do with Mr Ryerson."

"The story however does not end there." The newscaster continued. "Yale Graduate, Elias Levinson, inventor of the Reclaimer Technology, was recently found murdered in his home. Chicago PD has confirmed that as yet no arrests have been made, but sources close to the investigation have confirmed that two other men were also killed, at least one of which was a Chicago Police officer. These unnamed sources have also confirmed that three of the Planeteers were taken into custody and questioned in connection with the killings, being held for a period of several days. As yet there has been no word on what connection The Planeteers have to the murder of a police officer or the murder of the Reclaimer Technology's creator…"

* * *

"Well Gi, you were looking for a connection between the Reclaimer blast and Elias's murder. There it is." Kwame turned from the television. "Okay, what do we know?"

"We know that The Corporation is making a big deal about the destruction of something that we don't think worked." Wheeler said for one.

"We know that we're being tipped off about dangers to ourselves personally by someone we don't know." Linka added.

"We know that someone else is playing the media, playing the police, playing the government hearings… and they all seem to be looking for us now. And not in the good way." Gi added.

"And Stumm now has access to something." Ma-Ti put in, his voice distant. "Something I cannot see. Which is strange, because I didn't think that there was anything left that I could not see. And whatever it is, it gives him knowledge about us, our Rings and Gaia."

Kwame nodded. "So where does that leave us?"

Nobody had an answer to that one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read and Review!


	5. Escape From New York

The Planeteers stayed hidden in Trish's apartment for another two days. They helped out around the household as best they could, trying to be unobtrusive and not succeeding. Trish worked two jobs, so she was gone much of the time. Having dinner waiting when she got home went a long way toward making the peace with five unexpected roommates, and over the few days they waited, they told her the whole story. She believed them, and was willing to let them hide out until the heat died down.

Of course, five people meant that the food ran out, and Trish was making trips to the grocery store almost every day. Like most people in New York, she didn't have a car, so she had to make regular trips, given that the others didn't dare come out to help her carry the bags.

"I use reusable carry bags." Trish said on her way out, getting a smile from them. "Promise. But we gotta figure something out soon. The checkout people at the grocery store are giving me weird looks."

"Tell them fifty grand can buy a lot of groceries." Linka told her with light sarcasm.

Trish's smile dropped, and she sent Wheeler an awkward look on the way out the door.

"Linka, ease off will you?" Wheeler snapped once the door closed. "This is her place, not ours. We don't set the rules when we're guests in someone else's home. Guests, by the way, that just climbed in the window without warning and stayed for two days."

"Why are you so eager to protect her after what she did to you?"

"Linka, not that long ago, I was just like her. She's not greedy, she's just in need, and she saw a chance to get ahead of her bills for once. It's not like she kept those photos for the money. Some guys in this neighborhood deal drugs, or steal stuff to make their way. Maybe she didn't do it clean, but she did it legal, and I can't really look down my nose at her, given that I live on a private tropical island and have world leaders on my Christmas card list."

"Just because you made something of your life doesn't mean you can let her guilt you into-"

"I _didn't_ make anything of my life, Linka!" Wheeler almost yelled. "I got _arrested_ after a street fight with a gang and found a magic ring in my personal effects when the cops let me out. If it had gone to anyone else-"

"Guys, look at this!" Gi interrupted, staring at her computer screen. She quickly jumped up and turned on the TV.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"In a story that has developed more twists in the last two hours than a Hollywood spy thriller, Barbara Bligh, head of The Corporations Internal and Private Security force was called to appear before the committee. We now go live to the court house.

The picture changed to show Bligh sitting in front of the Board of Inquiry.

"Ms Bligh." Holland said coolly. "You are aware of the illegal nature of the Corporation's development in the Reclaimer Prototype."

"I am now." Bligh said seriously. "Prior to today, I was not."

"How could this happen without the head of Corporation internal security being unaware of it?"

"Frankly, we weren't looking that closely." Bligh said. "Corporation Security is geared more toward protecting our assets from criminal activity on the outside of the company. We have our own oversight and Internal Affairs investigations; but there didn't seem to be any need for it. Nobody had issued any complaints; nobody was suing for intellectual property theft. We didn't notice because there didn't seem to be any need to look."

"And now that you know?"

"Appropriate action will be taken against those responsible."

"Ms Bligh, could the explosion at the Reclaimer plant have been avoided if the Chief engineer on the project had a better understanding of the Technology?"

"Due respect sir, I don't think the problem was that the Technology wasn't understood. It didn't even fail. I can now confirm that the explosion was caused by sabotage."

"We have your statements confirming nothing conclusive in the source, or the method of the explosions."

"The method of sabotage wasn't conclusive, because the method has _never_ been understood." Bligh said darkly. "I would like to enter into evidence, Exhibit 6c. The surveillance footage from the Reclaimer, just before the blast, which is now on the screens"

The image on the hearing room screens was distorted and glitchy, but it cleared enough to show Wheeler, surrounded by flames, pointing his ring at the fire, making it move for him. The fire on the screen swept from one end of the room to the other, and Wheeler ran as more of the room burned.

* * *

The five of them turned as one to look at Wheeler, who seethed. "It's not true. The fire was already going when I came to, I told you that!"

"Wheeler, nobody believes Bligh over you." Kwame assured him.

"Maybe not in _this_ room, but..." Wheeler left the thought unfinished.

* * *

"Are you suggesting, Ms Bligh; that the explosion was _caused_ by the Planeteer James Johnston?" Holland demanded.

"Yessir, I am." Bligh said coldly. "There has been no evidence of anything in that room that could burn so strongly on its own, no evidence of equipment failure. It may be possible to clear it up forensically, except that the Planeteers have given no explanation as to how their powers work. It makes it difficult to say what else it could be."

"Is there any further evidence?"

"No sir. Most of the footage was lost in the explosion. It took our tech experts this long to recover this much from the memory chips." Bligh said. "I can add that all The Planeteers were invited into the Plant, as part of the Grand Opening. They, and others, were all supposed to be on a guided tour, but footage of the entrance has confirmed that Johnston was not evacuated with the others. In fact there is a nine minute period in which the only footage we have of him is when he's burning his way out of the Facility. We have attempted to locate Wheeler Johnston to question him about his involvement in this matter, and about where he was for those nine minutes, but so far we have been unable to contact him."

Holland was silent a moment. "I think at this point it might be wise to close these proceedings to the public."

* * *

The Hearing Room erupted into a roar at that, and the screen went black. A moment later it returned to the Anchor Desk, and the news studio. "We seem to have lost the feed there, though deliberately or not we can't say yet. Certainly some shocking revelations…"

Everyone jumped as the doorknob moved. Gi lunged for the remote and changed the channel. A moment later the door opened and Trish walked in, with a bag of groceries. "So, did I miss anything?"

Ma-Ti wasn't needed for the Planeteers to all have the same thought. "Nope. Nothing important."

* * *

Gi moved her operation into the guest room, and watched on her laptop.

"Anything new?" Kwame asked.

"Nothing new. Just been rehashing what they've uncovered already. They could go on for hours talking about the meaningless stuff."

"With the hearing closed, all we know is what they announce after the fact." Linka added, watching the computer screen over Kwame's shoulder. "But its already bad enough, you ask me."

"How did this happen so fast?" Gi said in disbelief. "These sorts of hearings take weeks to set up. They had it set up in three days! Witnesses were called, questions were decided, committee members were selected, secrets were uncovered and Wheeler was indicted in less than three days..."

"Could be that Holland wanted to move fast before The Corporation could cover anything up." Linka suggested.

"Could be that Holland wanted to move fast before the election was called." Kwame shook his head. "Maybe but I don't think so… This is too… organized."

Ma-Ti came in, adjusting his Ring. "I had a few words with Trish. She has decided that there's nothing good on television for a while. Wheeler is keeping watch in the living room, so if she changes her mind, we'll have some warning."

Kwame sent a quick look over to Linka. "Speaking of Wheeler; how is he?"

Linka glanced over at wall, as though she could see Wheeler on the other side. "He's in hell." Linka sighed. "Whoever is pulling the strings on this, they've picked him as the weak link. They embarrassed us using his past; they put us on the run by blaming him for the blast. Add to that the fact that he doesn't know what the hell is happening to his family, and Wheeler is at the lowest point I have ever seen him."

Kwame nodded. "Linka, I would never ask you to-"

"I know about the bet." Linka cut him off.

Kwame sent Gi an outraged look. She just looked back, unimpressed.

Kwame shook his head. "No, listen. I don't care about a stupid in-joke I've got running with Wheeler right now, and I will bet all the money in my pockets, against all the money in your pockets, that Wheeler doesn't care either."

Linka nodded. "Yeah. Okay, you're right."

"Wheeler... I'm trying to think how to say this. He responds best to you. So..." Kwame struggled for another moment and gave up. "I still don't know how to say this..."

Linka took him off the hook. "I'll look after him." She promised. "Tomorrow."

* * *

It was late that night when the others finally turned in. Wheeler knew he would never sleep and took the watch. He was staring absently out the window, when Trish came over with two beers in her hands and offered him one. He took it, but didn't drink. "You're up late."

"Can't sleep. Out of cigarettes."

"You should stop smoking those." Wheeler said absently.

"You should get some sleep." Trish said softly. "The others are."

"Got news for you, Trish: No they aren't." Wheeler said darkly.

"I think Linka wants to duct-tape me to something until you all leave." Trish tried to be light about it. "She seems madder about those photos than you are."

"She is." Wheeler confirmed.

Trish smothered a smirk. "Because she likes you?"

Wheeler glared. "Because you've made life difficult for our team, because Linka's being played like the rest of us, because she's a control freak who can't stand the fact that she can't stop what's happening to her friends, because she can't tell me where my family is, or where her parents are, because-"

Trish held up both hands. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I surrender! I take it back."

Wheeler noticed the beer in his hand finally and took a sip. "Trish, I want to scream at you as bad as she does, but I don't know where my brother is. Do you have any idea how meaningless those photos are to me right now?"

Trish stared at the floor. "I honestly never thought I'd see you again. The money was too good." She sighed. "If I could take it all back, I would."

"I know you would." Wheeler said. "Linka's not so sure, and that's why she has her 'duct-tape' face on."

Trish smiled weakly. "Listen... I know about what's going on. You turn off the TV every time I come in. I have a laptop. I have my phone. I can get the news about a dozen different ways."

Wheeler sighed. "Are we going to have a problem?"

Trish looked down. "I haven't told anyone you're here."

Wheeler nodded.

Trish looked at him. "Y'know, I watched you on the news after Hope Island. I followed the 'Power Is Yours' Campaign. I barely recognized you. You're all... Save the World. Back when I knew you, you were barely..."

"I know." Wheeler said ruefully.

"...it made me feel bad." Trish admitted. "Because if you met me five days ago instead of five years... You never would have looked at me twice. You've changed... I haven't."

They both sat silently in the dark a while.

"Oh _god_ , I need a smoke." Trish said finally. "You think if I slipped out for a few minutes…"

"They wouldn't like it."

Trish just looked at him. "They're asleep."

"No they aren't." Wheeler sighed. "Go."

She kissed him softly on the cheek and headed for the door. She opened it quietly and turned back to him. "You _have_ changed." She said quietly. "I think I like it."

* * *

Wheeler came into the guest room. "Trish just left."

Linka blinked. "You didn't stop her?"

Wheeler pinched the bridge of his nose. "Linka, I am going to say this one more time. It's _her_ apartment, not ours!"

"That's not what she means." Gi turned her laptop around. "The situation just got more complicated."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"In the latest shocking twist to the ongoing Reclaimer investigation, The Chicago Police have released this shocking video.

The Reclaimer Technology was created, unbeknownst to most people, by Yale Graduate Elias Levinson. Investigations quickly showed that Elias Levinson was recently murdered in his Chicago apartment. We now have substantial evidence to suggest that The Planeteers are implicated in both the murder of Elias Levinson, and a Chicago PD Officer.

As this video clearly shows, The Planeteers were in the apartment, standing over the body, clearly assaulting the Officer, whose name has been withheld by Chicago PD at the request of his family.

Chicago Officials have admitted that The Planeteers were held for questioning for over two days, before being released at the request of City Officials.

When confronted with this information, the Mayor of Chicago had this to say:

"I was under the impression that The Planeteers were voluntarily taken into custody so that they could explain their involvement in a police matter. Given their stellar records of public service, both to our own city and the world, I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If I had known the details of the matter, I would have thrown away the key personally."

* * *

"Amazing how fast the wind changes, even without me." Linka said with grim irony.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"We've just been handed this Bulletin. In response to The Planeteers' refusal to answer questions, and to respond to calls from several levels of Law Enforcement, it is now official. The Planeteers have been subpoenaed to appear before the committee, to face questions on their involvement in the Reclaimer Sabotage, and the deaths of Elias Levinson and at least one Police Officers. Failure to do so will be answered with a Federal Warrant. It is expected that the State Department will be contacting Law Enforcement agencies around the world, in regards to similar measures they may take, as the Planeteers have not been seen since the Reclaimer Explosion. Police have asked that anyone with contact information for the Planeteers contact the proper authorities immediately, but refused to confirm if they have been officially charged with anything. The contact number should be visible on your screens.

"And now, to discuss this matter, we turn to our panel of Legal Experts. Eric, level with me. How much trouble are they in?"

"More than you think, Dan. The facts of the matter are not in dispute, we've got them on camera. We'd love to hear the other side of the story, direct from the Planeteers, but we can't find them. Quite frankly, we've never heard the whole truth from these people. They've never shared with us where their powers came from, how they met... There's a month long gap in their lives, which ended with hope Island appearing in the middle of the ocean. A lot of people are asking questions."

"Eric, I hate to interrupt you, but we've just received word that Corporation CEO Vernan Stumm has made a statement, and we'll take you there now."

Stumm looked furious on the screen. "I was the first one to throw my official support behind the Planeteers. I find it hard to believe that people who have dedicated themselves to cleaning up the world would actively destroy The Reclaimer, and all it's potential to hurt their cause. I have seen the video, and it seems... damning. Over the past few months, there have been many questions as to whether or not I have any direct contact with The Planeteers. The answer is, no more than anyone else. I do not know where they are either; But I have faith in the Planeteers, and I am eager to see them clear their names. To that end, I offer fifty thousand dollars to anyone who can help me locate the Planeteers and provide evidence that will help them to overcome these disgusting and baseless charges of domestic terrorism, and murder."

* * *

"Fifty thousand dollars?" Kwame blurted.

"He just put a price on our heads and made himself out to be our only friend at the same time." Linka said.

"If I didn't hate this guy so much, I'd be impressed." Wheeler admitted.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"That statement made by Vernan Stumm, Corporation CEO. Eric, back to you now for a moment and I think Mr Stumm raised an interesting point. What possible motive could the Planeteers have for sabotaging The Reclaimer? It's considered to be one of the best green-technologies ever built."

"Well Dan, I can't speak for the Planeteers, but I remember back when The Corporation bought up a few pharmaceutical companies, the first thing they did was put some of their researchers on trial. What makes more money? A flu vaccine? Or a hundred different treatments for the symptoms?"

"You're saying the Planeteers might be encouraging pollution so that they can be the solution?"

"Is there anyone on the Planet that doesn't know their names? These... people are just barely more than children, don't have paying jobs, and they're the most talked about celebrities since the Beatles. What are they going to do if they ever managed to stop Global Pollution one day? The second they succeed, they are done; yesterday's news. But as long as they keep talking about it, and as long as they still have an enemy to fight..."

"Eric, I'm going to stop you right there, because on that note, we have to take a break. The question of the hour: 'What Are The Planeteers Hiding From Us Now?' We'll be right back, after this."

* * *

Trish had seen the whole thing. She knew that the others were hiding something from her, and after what she had done to Wheeler, she was content to let them have their secrets. She could see what the Planeteers meant, she knew their work was important…

And then she was at the store getting a pack of fresh cigarettes. There was a television above the checkout line. The news had run nothing else since the announcement was made.

She knew. Trish started home instantly… And found her eyes focusing on payphones as she made the walk home. _Fifty thousand dollars…_

"Don't do it Trish." She told herself. She pulled out her cell phone despite herself. "No. It's not right."

_Oh sure, 'Trash Alley', you want to get all ethical now?_

"Better late than never." She argued with herself. "The photos were one thing… but turning in all five of them, and they're in your home right now! If they find out..."

_Fifty thousand dollars._

"I've already made that by selling Wheeler out once. I don't have to do it again. He's… they're good guys."

_Good guys wanted by cops. Nobody's going to blame you._

"Don't. Do. It." She told herself firmly, and put the phone back in her pocket.

A moment later she pulled it out again and dialed. "Hello? My name is Trish. I know where the Planeteers are hiding. All of them."

* * *

Trish slipped back into he apartment, and closed the door as quietly as she could. It didn't make the slightest sound.

_Click._

She spun as the pitch-black room suddenly lit up. Ma-Ti was awake, and he was looking at her. Trish almost leaned back at the piercing force of his eyes. He was looking right through her and dissecting her soul. He looked... disappointed at what he found.

"I was out of smokes." Trish offered, holding up her fresh pack.

"No." Ma-Ti said. "You were calling the police." He raised a fist to the air and the Ring flashed brightly for a moment. Throughout the apartment, she could hear the others moving suddenly. "Wheeler came and told us the second you left. Told us to be ready to move, just in case. You should have stayed away till they got here."

Trish paled. "Are... are you going to kill me?"

"No." Ma-Ti said sincerely. "That's not what we do."

Trish sighed. "I... There's not really a lot I could say."

Ma-Ti looked sadly at her. "You know what the worst part is? I could have just... turned you. Any time I wanted to I could have. At least... I think so. I have no power over the stone-hearted. Wheeler swears you aren't that far gone." He sighed. "But it wouldn't be right."

She stared at him, unsettled. Finally she turned away, unable to meet those eyes any longer.

Wheeler was the first one to come out. The others were already up and dressed, following him quickly. Wheeler just looked at her. "You just couldn't help yourself could you?" He said, barely surprised.

"If you knew where I was going, why didn't you stop me?" Trish challenged him.

"Because this is your home, not ours. Because you aren't a prisoner. Because I had no proof and because… I hoped I was wrong."

Trish looked sadly at him, but kept her chin up, and her tone defiant. "Life's a bitch, Wheels; always has been. World ain't fair to people like us. Well, like me. When a chance comes along, you gotta take it. Gotta take care of yourself and yours first. I can remember a time when you understood that."

Wheeler sighed hard as he slid the window open. "So can I."

Kwame and Gi went out first. Linka looked for a moment like she was going to punch Trish across the face, but Wheeler and Ma-Ti kept an eye on her till she left.

By the time the police came, they were long gone.

* * *

"Should we try for the Geo-Cruiser?"

"I'm not leaving til I find out what happened to my brother!" Wheeler snapped. "You can go ahead if you want."

"The Geo-Cruiser is no doubt still surrounded anyway." Kwame said. "I would rather we figure out who's pulling these strings. And if we do try to run... we've had two hours sleep in the last two days."

"He's right. We're not up for this. And I know I can't make the flight from here to Hope Island without falling asleep at the controls." Gi yawned.

Wheeler smirked. "I know a place we can go."

"Another girlfriend?" Linka asked blandly.

"I'm going to ignore that until I think of a withering comeback."

* * *

Wheeler led them to the warehouse district. New York wasn't that big an island, but too big to get around on foot. Fortunately, they weren't too far away, and once they made it to the warehouse district, there were few people about. Wheeler led them to a particular lot. Once upon a time, it was a warehouse like all the others, but now it was a bare frame of the lowest level. Even in the dark they could see the thick scorch marks that covered the few walls that kept standing.

"Lovely." Kwame said with grim practicality. "Reminds me of a few places we had to stay back home."

Linka smiled softly at Wheeler. The American looked quietly resigned. Linka felt for him. Wheeler was open enough about his opinions and his failings, but private about his family and his personal life. Linka had found out about this place by snooping where she wasn't wanted. In the space of this week Wheeler had more than a few of his private moments become public against his will, and now he was being forced to share another thing he'd normally keep to himself.

Once they got into the warehouse, the whole atmosphere changed. The outside of the warehouse was covered in old burns, and spoke of long destroyed building left to decay. But inside… inside the walls lost their shape under the ghostly shadows of glowing luminous colors, painted on the walls in glow in the dark paints. The swirls of color gleamed in the dark and shone off a still pool of water, as a pipe from somewhere tricked like a mini-waterfall into a small pond, collected into a dug out break in the concrete, and the walls and what little furniture was covered in leafy plants and climbing vines of flowers and buds that crossed and wrapped around each other in detail. Up above, where the ceiling used to be was a wide open sky, where stars shone above it.

The place smelled fresh and alive, and the fact that the living things had come to overgrow the ruined debris gave the whole thing a mysterious, wondrous quality. This little night garden was something out of a fairytale. A place that the city dwellers outside would never suspect was always among them, where you'd expect to find enchanted things hiding.

"It's beautiful." Gi said in surprise. "Wheeler, how did you find this place?"

Wheeler sent Linka a sharp look, and she shook her head imperceptibility. She had kept the secret. Wheeler smiled easier and gave Gi half the story. "I made it." He said. "The place burned down, and nobody was going to rebuild it. The place was caved in so there was light coming through, the floor was wrecked, so there was dirt to grow in… I brought some plants in here, looked after them once they started growing…" He ran out of words suddenly, still not used to talking about it.

"Wheeler, is this place safe?" Kwame asked finally. "Someone might have found out about it…"

Wheeler shook his head. "The only thing this place is connected to in any official record is a gang that doesn't exist any more. Only five people on the planet know I ever came here. Me, Dad, JJ, an NYPD cop you don't know, and Linka. Plus a few gang members who found me once, but don't know I come here regular or why."

"Nobody who would talk." Linka summed up. "But look at this."

Wheeler came around one of the broken walls to where Linka was looking, and froze. Written in bright glowing paint across the wall was a familiar slogan: ' **The Power is Yours!'**

Linka watched him carefully. "It wasn't you?"

"Nope."

"JJ came here. He was the one that brought the looney paint as I recall. Maybe him?"

"Luminous paint." Wheeler corrected absently. "And yeah, very likely."

"Would he have told anyone about this place?"

Wheeler glared at her sharply. "No!"

She held up her hands defensively. "I was just asking."

"I have a _few_ people in my world that won't sell me out!" Wheeler snapped.

Linka suddenly realized what he was so mad about and softened. "Hey." She said gently. "You have _lots_ of people who won't sell you out."

* * *

Kwame, Gi, and Ma-Ti were all of three feet away, and could hear every word. Gi smirked, just a little, and all of them held their breath, enjoying the latest episode of 'The Wheeler and Linka Show.'

* * *

Wheeler was about to say something when they heard a noise.

Ma-Ti's voice spoke to them inaudibly instantly. _Someone is coming. He is not a threat. There is someone else. He is a threat, but not hostile._

The Planeteers faded into the dark corners as best they could, waiting. Someone was coming in the door.

Ma-Ti's voice came to them again. _Wheeler, it is JJ._

Wheeler lunged forward before Linka could catch him, and ripped the door open. JJ squawked at the sudden explosion of movement in the dark, and Wheeler wrapped his brother up tight before anyone could react.

_Cha-Click._

Everyone froze. Wheeler turned to his left slightly. A very large gun was pointed at the base of his skull. "Put the safety on dad, it's me!"

JJ squeaked again, and Wheeler released him. "Wheels?" He spun around and hugged his brother back tightly.

"James." The Colonel said the name like an explosive sigh and put his service issue away. "When we heard the Glider was locked down we feared the worst." he looked around. "The others?"

"We are here." Ma-Ti's voice came from the dark, and the Planeteers emerged, smiles on their faces.

"What are you doing here?" Wheeler asked his family.

"It's too dangerous to stay at the house."

"Trouble?"

"I don't know." The soldier admitted. "Protestors, Police, Corporation Security, hired guns. Someone. The announcement of the reward has drawn some downright dangerous attention. I was on my way to New York the second the Reclaimer blew. I used my authority to get someone in the loop on the phone, and they didn't know what happened, but they knew you were there. By the time I got back to New York, Bligh had named you, so I went for JJ. I've served in enough Urban War-zones to know when somebody's being watched, so I snuck in and got JJ out of there. But he was already gone."

"I went to the Foundation Hall." JJ explained. "I figured there were people there, and if you wanted to get in touch, it was a public place. But the place was crawling with cops. Looking for me or you, I don't know. But... the place was empty. Nobody's there any more, so I snuck in and slept on the couch in the waiting room for a while, ate the food in the greenhouse." He looked haunted. "Wheeler, I've been going _vegetarian_ for two days."

"You poor thing." Wheeler said with open sympathy.

"That was where I found him." The Colonel finished. "I came and got him, and we came here."

"Parrot?" Wheeler asked.

"I don't know, but I pity the poor gunman who tries to give Polly trouble." JJ grinned.

Colonel Johnston grinned a little and turned to Gi. "Gi, your family sent a message through that email address you and Linka set up. They saw it coming same as we did and noticed a few people hanging around the houseboat. They pulled up and sailed out. They're going from cove to cove now. I honestly think they might try and sail the houseboat all the way to Hope Island sooner or later."

Gi sagged with relief. "They're safe."

JJ sat down. "As safe as any of us."

The Colonel turned to Kwame. "What the hell happened?"

Quickly and efficiently, Kwame spelled out the events of the last week. "The thing blew, but it wasn't us." He finished.

"And Chicago?"

"Levinson was dead when we got there. We never met him before. Whoever the guys in uniform were, they just came in and started shooting."

The Colonel nodded. "Word is that Officer Julian Hertz and his family had some pretty hefty medical bills. But when they went to tell his wife... She was in a private hospital, helping her kid recover from a transplant that came through remarkably fast."

Wheeler nodded slowly. "He sacrificed himself taking a shot at us because someone was willing to pay for his family."

"And we get labeled cop-killers. We've been set up." Linka added.

The Colonel glanced around. "Officially, I've been informed by my superiors that if I see you, I have to bring you in."

"You think we'd last five minutes?"

"You're classified as foreign nationals. You could plead extradition back to Hope Island. So, six minutes at least." The Colonel smirked.

"And... unofficially?"

"Unofficially, I have to get back to base within twenty hours or I'll be AWOL myself."

Wheeler looked at Kwame "We have to get out of the city."

Gi bit her lip. "What if they hit Hope Island next?"

"If they do, we'll fight them off. What worries me is..." Linka hesitated, looking at Kwame.

Kwame's eyes blazed. "What if they hit Hope Island already?"

"They wouldn't. The five of you are the only ones with jurisdiction there."

"Dad, the Corporation sent a task force after us in the middle of _Alaska_. They don't care about jurisdiction."

"If The Corporation is the one pulling strings; they won't dare be obvious."

"Plus, if we stay on Hope Island, they'll be satisfied." Kwame added. "They only care if we get involved with anything they do."

The Colonel had been following all this carefully. "Well then, you have a choice to make. Do you stay and try to clear your names, or do you make a break for it?"

"What would you do, Dad?" Wheeler asked.

The Colonel sighed. "I'm a solider. You have a mission, you follow orders, you give orders, you do your best to do both honorably and successfully. You guys have the problem that the deck has been stacked against you. This is not a trial, this is a set-up. I'd get away and come back when the truth was ready to come out. Sooner or later truth always will."

JJ put his hand up like he was in class. "I was at the Foundation Hall yesterday... the place was nearly deserted. The crowd's scared to go along with you, assuming they haven't been convinced that you're all criminals. You leave now... it's over."

Silence.

"This would be a lot easier if we knew what the Feds have figured out. We still don't know for sure if Stumm is doing this. If the Police are putting the truth together we might have a shot and clearing the record." Kwame thought aloud. "Who do we know that would be on the inside?"

"My Parents." Linka offered. "But I haven't been able to reach them since Chicago."

"If the authorities are looking for us, they'll be watching your parent's like a hawk." Wheeler said. "Lizzie?"

"They took our cell phones at The Reclaimer. I don't know how secure a prepaid phone would be."

JJ held out his own. "I have my phone. Dad made me pull the battery so it couldn't be tracked. They might not be looking for it yet."

Wheeler's father grinned. "Young people." He scoffed. "This is New York City. Use a payphone."

"Payphone? How... quaint." Gi commented.

"We tried the payphones when we got back to New York. I don't know who was watching..."

"There are thousands of payphones in this city. They can't _all_ be watched. Find one without a camera nearby."

"I'll go." Wheeler volunteered.

* * *

Being a fugitive was exhausting. He was trying not to look directly at everyone, but checking to see if any of them were looking at him. Eventually, he made it to a payphone that still worked. He called Lizzie Quinn.

She picked up on the first ring. "Is that you, Uncle Mike?" She asked cheerfully.

"Liz?" Wheeler hesitated.

"Oh it is you, good! Look, I know you were planning to come over, but I've been trying to reach you since 10:15. My phone got busted somehow."

Wheeler hesitated. 10:15 was the televised hearing that named the Planeteers as criminals. "Busted?"

"Yeah, I had to get the repairmen in."

"Repairmen are expensive." Wheeler said carefully. "You must be all tapped out."

"No kidding." Lizzie said in relief. "Matter of fact there are workmen all over the street today. It's probably not a good time to visit."

"Gotcha."

"Well I hate to keep you on the phone, Uncle Mike; I know you have to run." Lizzie said casually.

Wheeler heard sirens getting closer already. "Gotta go."

"Be safe!" Lizzie called as Wheeler slammed the phone down and ran for it.

* * *

The others looked up as Wheeler came back in, breathing hard. He shook his head darkly. "They're watching Lizzie. We can't go there."

"If they're watching her, then they're watching our families, our friends, our homes, the World Waters, the Foundation... Police, press, our mysterious attackers, or hit-men after the reward, it doesn't matter." Ma-Ti hesitated. "We can't go back to any of it."

Linka actually laughed. "You know, for a second there, I wondered if we were outsmarting ourselves. We were trying to find JJ… Turns out that JJ was with his father the whole time. I was starting to wonder for a second if we were being hunted at all…"

"Gaia warned us about those 'policemen'." Ma-Ti pointed out. "And there are false charges laid against Wheeler. Somebody's up to something, but we may never be able to figure out who's part of the actual plot against us, and who's just interested in getting a photo, or getting the reward…"

"What do we do now?" Gi asked softly.

* * *

The planning session went for hours. One thing they were agreed on, was the need to get out of the city, and back to Hope Island. Colonel Johnston was walking a fine line. If he stayed away any longer, or if he used his authority to help, he would have been arrested instantly.

"Will you take JJ?" The Colonel asked Wheeler quietly. "I can't guarantee his safety here, or with me."

Wheeler nodded. "I want him away from here too. He's been talking about coming to Hope Island."

"He's been talking about nothing else." The Colonel agreed. "I have to get back. Any minute now somebody's going to realize JJ's missing. I've been practicing my 'worried father' face. I better get back where I'm supposed to be before they come to tell me all about it."

Wheeler nodded tensely. "Dad... come with us. We still don't know for sure who's trying to protect us, or what The Corporation's trying, but whatever it is, it got the police and the media and everyone else against us, and it's only been _three days_. When they can't find me, they'll look for you and JJ. And when they can't find JJ... They will come for you. Please come with us."

The Colonel appraised his son. "God you grew up fast. Son, I know you're worried. I don't blame you. But I've been in dangerous spots before. I got out of them alive because I have my team with me. You've got your team backing you up, and my Unit's with me. They've told me they'll back me, come what may. Besides, we've got a Mission, and with Quinn locked down, and the Petrova's out of contact, you'll need someone in your corner back here... Or you'll never be allowed in the country again."

Wheeler sighed. "I know."

"Take care of your brother, do your job. I'll do what I can for you here."

He left them then. The sun was rising outside and they were left with the same problem. How to get back to Hope Island?

"Do we need the Glider?" JJ asked. "Can we take another plane?"

Gi shook his head. "We don't have a pilot. Flying the Geo-Cruiser is an entirely different kind of flying to a light aircraft."

"Besides, if we're going to continue our mission, we need our Glider back." Kwame put in. "We can't fly around the world in a stolen plane we can't refuel and aren't trained to fly."

"If it comes to that, we can just take the Geo-Cruiser back by force. But I'd rather we don't." Wheeler volunteered.

Kwame looked to Ma-Ti. "Can you do something?"

Ma-Ti thought for a moment. "I can cause a distraction, I can confuse the guards... but if they have electronic surveillance of some kind, or if there are more of them than I know, or if they are spread out too far... Plus, we know that Stumm has an idea of how our powers work now; and my powers have limits on who I can affect. There's no way to know."

"We don't need the Rings to create a distraction." Linka offered. "We just need to make sure we're all aboard when the Geo-Cruiser takes off."

There was a noise, and Wheeler spun. "Who's there?"

"It's me!" Called a voice, and a young man poked his head carefully around the side of the broken door.

"Avery?" Wheeler and JJ blurted. "Are you alone?"

Avery nodded.

"Get inside before someone sees you."

Avery did so quickly.

"Who is this?" Kwame asked.

"This is Avery. He's a member of a street gang around here called the DemonZ."

JJ was stunned. "Avery, you're a DemonZ?"

"I was." Avery said in a small voice. "We all were. The Gang got broken up after..." He sent Wheeler a look. "Well... after."

Wheeler nodded in understanding and explained to the others. "When I got the Power, I took this guy out for drinks, got him drunk enough to tell me where their illegal stuff was hidden, and then I torched it."

JJ burst out laughing. "That was _you_?"

Avery nodded and filled in the rest. "I woke up with a hangover and a pair of shiny new bracelets. The Cops told me they had me cold, so I cut a deal and gave them everything I knew. I was stupid. Just looking to fit in, and too chicken to stop once I started. They let me go... the Gang that escaped the Law was trying to figure out what to do when you guys suddenly appeared. After what happened to me, I figured maybe it would be a good idea not to join another gang."

"They joined the World Watchers." JJ put in. "We've been setting up community gardens and stuff, all over the city. The Gangs have been trashing them after dark. Avery and his guys have been protecting them."

Avery shrugged. "We can't really go home. Most of us joined the DemonZ because we couldn't stand to live with our folks for whatever reason, and the Law either wouldn't help us, or would take us back. Shelters have the same rule... So we stayed with our Gang. With them gone... The World Watchers seemed like a pretty okay deal. Keep your pride, keep your colors, and don't have to worry about the cops any more." He grinned. "Who do you think we tagged your slogan over the walls?"

Wheeler grinned. "So what are you doing here?"

"Lookin' for you." Avery said, not to Wheeler, but to JJ. "Your house is surrounded, man. So's the Foundation Hall. Me and the others want to know what we do now."

JJ glanced at the surprised Planeteers. "We finish what we started. Tell the others to keep the Patches safe. All of them. I'm going with my brother, and one way or another we'll be back."

Avery nodded. "I'll tell them."

Wheeler suddenly brightened. "Avery, how many reformed DemonZ are we talking about?"

"Seven when we started, including me. A few more from other Gangs when you guys got to work."

Wheeler grinned at Kwame, who suddenly realized what he was thinking about. "Go get them."

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Gi asked softly. "It feels like... It just feels like we're a Gang ourselves now, taking territory, smacking around police..."

"Gi, I don't know quite how to tell you this, but we're on the run from the law, we're planning to break through a Police blockade, and steal an aircraft under lock-down, before coming back to destroy property and equipment that we feel does too much damage to the environment." Kwame said reasonably. "Wheeler was right. We're the Bad Guys."

Gi sighed hard. "It feels different now. It used to be..."

"We used to be celebrities." Kwame interrupted. "Now we're fugitives. We always knew it was only a matter of time before somebody came after us."

Long silence.

"Clean Up Australia was a volunteer organization." Gi said finally. "A solo yachtsman got together a few friends and tried to clean up Sydney Harbor. Forty thousand people decided that they liked the idea and showed up to help. Now it's a nationwide campaign. Clean Up Australia _Day_ now has well over half a million volunteers every year. That's what we should be doing Kwame. We should be motivating these people. We should be getting them moving. And instead, we're running from one dark corner to the other, planning out targets to hit. Have we... I don't know how to say this... have we lost our way?"

"Gi, we lost our way when we started focusing our attention on press events and photo ops. We were called together by Gaia for a reason, and it wasn't to get our faces on cereal boxes."

Gi looked down. "It shouldn't be like this. We're supposed to be inspiring people. We're supposed to be leading a change, not... not this."

Kwame nodded. "We got lucky. Our first mission was against an illegal operation. It made us heroes. But we've got a long way to go."

Gi shivered. "It's going to get worse before it gets better."

"Look at it this way." Kwame said softly. "What if we did nothing?"

Ma-Ti's voice came to them then. _Avery and his friends are position. The time is now._

Gi looked to Kwame and gave him a single nod. Game On.

The two of them walked down to the water's edge and didn't break stride when they got to it. Gi held Kwame's hand, keeping him close by as they made it to the Hudson. "Water." She commanded, and the murky waters parted for them as they approached. The two of them walked into the river, a perfect circle drawn in the water around them as they went deeper. Gi's ring glimmered brighter and the water closed over above them, though they themselves were dry underneath the surface.

"I don't know what it is Gi, but something about this is downright unsettling." Kwame commented lightly.

"Kwame, I love hearing your voice, but I've just sealed us in here. I don't know how much air we have in this little pocket." Gi said sweetly. "Let's keep conversation to a minimum."

* * *

"What do you think?" The guards asked each other.

"I don't think they're coming. I doubt they're even in the city any more." The other said.

"Lookout!"

The guards looked up in shock as a fireball came flying out of the dark unexpectedly.

"DOWN!" One of them yelled, and they hit the ground, the dock… wherever they happened to be.

A moment later the fireball dropped, and one of them looked up to see what it was.

It was a roll of toilet paper, set on fire.

A chorus of laughter rang out in the dark, and the guards got back to their feet. They were annoyed now. They had been expecting combat with Superheroes, and instead they got duped by a school-yard prank.

There was an elastic whipping sound, and one of them yelped, as a tightly wadded up bit of paper smacked him in the face. "OW!"

More laughter out of the dark. The guards brought up their flashlights and pointed them into the dark. There was a scattering in the dark as shapes vanished into the night.

The guards took off running after them. They had been waiting for too long, for an opponent that wasn't coming, and they had been keeping it a secret from anyone passing by. They were itching to do something, and a bunch of gang kids had rubbed them the wrong way.

If they'd stayed at the water's edge, they would have looked down and seen a bubble of air under the water.

* * *

Gi and Kwame had walked along the bottom of the Hudson, the water held back from smothering them by Gi's Ring.

Ma-Ti's voice came to them. _Now!_

"Earth!" Kwame commanded the riverbed beneath them, and the ground rumbled, suddenly extending upward like a natural elevator, both of them holding onto each other for balance until they suddenly appeared at the surface, Gi's dome of air opening above them as they simply rose from the water, directly next to the Geo-Cruiser.

"Well we aimed that well." Gi quipped as she got the canopy open.

"Get it ready to fly!" Kwame directed quickly, clambering up on the wing, heading for the straps tying the Geo-Cruiser down.

* * *

The guards came running to the wall in pursuit of Avery and his friends. It wasn't a chain link fence, it was an actual wall, about as tall as an adult man, and Avery scrambled over it. They started to climb up to chase after him, when three garbage bins came flying over the top of it, hitting them square in the face with several different layers of New York City garbage.

The guards jumped back from the wall in revulsion as half a dozen young voices burst into laughter behind the fence.

A moment later they heard a noise. It sounded like a motor. They turned back to the water, and saw a small boat with an outboard motor. It had at least three people in it.

"It's a diversion!" One of the guards shouted.

They turned to run back to the Geo-Cruiser, when they heard a voice calling in the dark. "FIRE!"

A bright flash of light that made them all squint as a burst of flame exploded in front of their eyes. As they got used to the sudden flare, they found themselves backed against the solid fence line, but a line of fire. They were stuck in a box, a curve of flame against the fence.

Through the flame, they could see the Geo-Cruiser already moving.

* * *

The motorboat pulled up alongside the Geo-Cruiser as it moved toward open water, propelled by small waves on the surface of the river. The Canopy opened as the boat drew alongside, and Kwame reached down a hand to pull up Linka, then JJ, then Wheeler.

Gi had the Geo-Cruiser's handset in her hand. "I got Avery on his cell phone, he says they all got away clean."

Once they climbed into the Geo-Cruiser, Linka immediately raised her Ring. "Wind!"

The craft sped up for takeoff as the Planeteers strapped themselves in. "JJ, there's a harness behind you. You're basically on the cargo shelf we use for our bags."

"Don't carry passengers often?" JJ said in understanding as he found the harness straps and pulled them over his shoulders.

Gi spun up the wing turbines and battery propellers. With Linka's help they were in the air soon after.

"Nobody got hurt, nobody got caught, no shots fired." Kwame summed up. "I'd call that a pretty successful escape." He turned to Wheeler. "Where'd you get the boat?"

"It's the Hudson. There are a hundred small boats. It won't be hard for the owner to get it back." He turned and swatted his little brother lightly. "By the way, JJ; where the hell did you learn to hot-wire a motor?"

JJ smirked. "I read a lot."

"A lot of comic books, maybe!"

* * *

The Planeteers still weren't sure who was chasing them, but they knew they had to lie low. Once they were out of reach, they could afford to wait.

"We're in a Glider. We can go quiet, we can fly low to the ground. We'll be impossible to trace in the dark." Gi said. "But it's a long flight to Hope Island, and we're running on no food and no sleep. It'll be dawn in about five hours. Linka's the engine; I don't know if we'll make it without a rest stop."

"I say we head south, get out of American airspace and find a place to crash for a while." Wheeler put in.

"Please don't use the words 'place to crash' while our pilot is yawning." JJ piped up. Everyone chuckled nervously.

"There's the cove in Mexico where we stayed last time." Ma-Ti offered. "We agreed to go back when we had the chance."

"It's as good a place as any." Kwame agreed. "We can stay hidden there till it's dark again."

* * *

They found the cove again, though it wasn't as impressively beautiful as they remembered in the dark. They came into land smoothly on the water, and skidded over to the beach.

"We'll be visible from the air." JJ said.

"There are a thousand places to hide a glider along this coast. Finding us is a needle in a haystack." Gi yawned.

"Besides, we're technically in Mexico right now. Even if they find us, who knows what they'll do?" Kwame said.

"The Mexican authorities might be after us too." Linka said as she pushed the Canopy open. "We're international celebrities. Being fugitives doesn't make that better. We might be a huge prize to a lot of governments right now."

"If we are... We'll never go anywhere safe again." Gi said weakly.

Ma-Ti didn't seem even slightly concerned. "How is that different from any other day? The people we oppose are always fighting back; even in places we are welcome. This is a good week for them. We're playing for the ultimate prize, and the opposition will have some good days sooner or later." With that, Ma-Ti hoisted himself over the side and landed in the cove with a splash.

Beat.

"Something kinda scary about him." JJ said finally.

"You get used to it." Wheeler and Linka said at the same time. Their eyes met with a small smile, before they both broke off the look and climbed out of the Glider.

JJ looked at Kwame. "Did I imagine that?"

"The only ones imagining things are them." Gi laughed. "Best not to mention it."

"More entertaining that way." Kwame added.

JJ smothered a laugh and climbed out of the Geo-Cruiser.

"Honestly though, if anyone is going to be giving each other longing looks I think it should be us." Gi smirked at Kwame and dove into the water. Whether she needed her powers to pull off a smooth dive into four feet of water Kwame was never quite sure, but was certain nobody else could do it.

"What do we do now?" JJ asked as they sloshed to the beach.

"Now we rest up, enjoy a day on the beach, eat and drink what we can find, and wait for dark again. Geo-Cruiser has no heat signature, no engine noise, flies under the radar. We're invisible in the dark."

"Where do we sleep?" JJ asked, new to all this.

Wheeler climbed up out of the water, and slumped down under a palm tree by water's edge. "Right here man, right here."

Kwame collected some driftwood from the beach, piled it up. "Keep the fire low."

Wheeler nodded and lifted his ring. A cheery red glow flared up instantly, and The Planeteers settled on the sand for sleep.

"I'll take the first watch, take care of the fire." Wheeler offered. "Dawn in two or three hours."

* * *

"We don't know for sure how they did it." Bligh said seriously. "We hit everyone we could think of, but we had to do it secretly, so that limited what we could use. We got a tip that they were at Trish Allen's place, of all places; but by the time we got our people there, they'd moved on again."

"Did they find out we were the ones who approached her?" Stumm asked.

"Allen says no. I have no reason to doubt it. We have a guy in the State Department. He says that we're not the only ones looking for them. A few agencies are putting out feelers, trying to track them down. Satellite photos say that the Geo-Cruiser was spotted in Mexico, but by the time we got a copy of the picture, it was after dark, and they'd moved on."

"They'll head for Hope Island." Stumm said. It was not a question.

"Our guy in the State Department says that's the general consensus. They're pointing surveillance at the Island, keeping an eye on them. Which means we can't send a strike team after them. Frankly sir... I doubt it matters. Let them stay there. They can't do anything if they stay on the Island."

Stumm nodded. "Who tipped them off?"

Bligh swallowed. "We're... still working on that."

"Work faster."

"Yessir." Bligh said instantly, and quickly left the room.

Stumm was silent for a long moment, staring at the globe of the earth on his desk.

"They escaped." Stumm said seriously to the empty room.

**They have supporters, even now.**

"Supporters enough to challenge me?"

**You?**

"Us." Stumm corrected instantly. "Challenge us. Challenge you."

**Have I failed to come through on any of my promises? I promised you wealth, you gained it. I promised you power, you took it. I promised you guidance, and you were wise to follow. I promised you all the hosts of the earth would be yours to command; they are yours.**

"And I am grateful." Stumm said instantly.

**I promised you that they would be dealt with. I taught you how to turn the winds against them. And now they are running for their lives. They are your opposite number in the Great Game.**

"Then... Then it will be difficult to defeat them."

**Do not be concerned. You have done well. There is work to do yet. You will be made more powerful still, beloved by all your followers. Thousands of millions giving you what you want and thanking you for it. All I ask in return is loyalty.**

Stumm smiled. He knew it. He could see it. "Master, may I ask... what do you want in return?"

A laugh rang out, vibrating Stumm apart. **I have what I want. You and the Five are pieces on the board. When this round is over, another will be played. It is our nature, to be what we are only more so. It is your nature to lead, and mine to make strong. The weak are destroyed the strong made stronger. It is the cycle. It cannot be denied. I have made the progression faster and greater.**

"Survival of the Fittest." Stumm agreed.

**I am the Fittest, and I seek only to be more so than all others. I have no reason to hold back from my loyal ones what they seek.**

**And speaking of that...**

What happened next was hard to describe. It was like a doorway opening from one place to the next. But there was nothing seen, nothing heard... just the feeling.

The air opened, and something appeared in the center of Stumm's desk.

It was a ring. A band of pure gold, and the jewel on top was flat, and the darkest, richest obsidian black.

Stumm stared at it for a very long time, before reaching out carefully to pick it up, and slide it on his finger. It fit perfectly. Stumm threw his head back in awe. The world had opened to him suddenly, and his eyes opened to a universe of power and wonder.

Stumm smiled softly, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you."

* * *

Wheeler looked over as Linka woke up by the campfire. "Hey."

Linka rubbed her eyes. "How long did I sleep?"

"Couple of hours."

"Want me to take the watch for a while?"

"I'm okay."

Linka sat up and joined him. "You're thinking about Trish."

"Thought Ma-Ti was the mind reader."

"Wheeler, I don't know how to tell you this, but I've been able to read your mind for a long time. I think all women can."

Wheeler snorted. "She said, that 'the world ain't fair to people like us. When a chance comes along, you gotta take it. Gotta take care of yourself first'." He quoted. "What scares me is… that not that long ago, I was just like her."

"Maybe you wanted to take care of yourself and your family above all else… but I don't think you were like her at all. If the Ring had gone to Trish and not to you… would you have sold the story of that weekend?"

"No." Wheeler admitted. "No, I wouldn't."

"There you go." Linka said.

They sat silently a while.

"'Trash Alley' a Planeteer?" Wheeler snorted finally.

"First thing that came to mind." Linka admitted.

They sat in silence for a while.

"Wheeler, how does this play out?" She asked finally. "We're ahead of them for now, but we can't stay in hiding forever. How does this end?"

"I don't know." Wheeler admitted.

"We got too used to being celebrities." Linka said quietly. "When we started this, you called it. You said we'd be branded criminals and Eco-terrorists. Well, now we are."

Wheeler nodded. "Maybe it's for the best."

"What do you mean?"

"We were getting caught up in it. Somebody wanted to make us a breakfast cereal. Can you believe that? All the interviews, and press questions; the black tie events... We were getting sidetracked."

"Plus, if we disappear, there's no money for your ex-one night stands and their photos."

"Oh, hell yes."

They sat together silently for a while.

She glanced at him. "I should have danced with you that night. I'm sorry I put you off."

Wheeler smiled a little. He stood up, and held out a hand to her. "Dance with me now."

Linka smiled a little, embarrassed. "There's no music."

"Somehow, I doubt it makes any difference." Wheeler said. "A tropical island, a full moon, a billion stars..."

Linka spared a quick glance at the others. They were sleeping. She stood up and brushed the sand off her legs.

They came together by the campfire, and put their arms around each other. Linka expected a lame come-on, but it didn't come. One hand gently at her hip, the other against her shoulder blade, holding her close.

Linka shivered. "It's been a long week."

Wheeler took in a long slow breath. "Yeah, it has."

Linka leaned a little closer, relaxing. "Feels nice to slow down for a while."

They swayed silently together for a while, the ocean waves was their music. Wheeler felt her shift as she checked on the others every few seconds, making sure they were asleep. Wheeler sighed, disappointed. It was always going to be like this. She would get close to him when she wanted to, as long as nobody ever saw.

But Wheeler was never one to ruin the moment by over-thinking it.

He pulled her in closer. She didn't resist, enjoying the moment herself. The sand made it hard to step, so they just swayed. The campfire suddenly dropped, the flames turning red, like their world dimmed a little, and the stars seemed to grow brighter up above.

" _Moonlight becomes you,"_ Wheeler sang quietly.

" _I'm thrilled at the sight  
And I could get so romantic _

_Tonight_

_"You're all dressed up to go dreaming_   
_Now don't tell me I'm wrong_   
_And what a night to go dreaming_   
_Mind if I tag along_

_"If I say I love you_   
_I want you to know_   
_It's not just because there's moonlight_

_Although,_

_The moonlight becomes you so."_

Linka pulled away enough to look up at him. Her eyes were dark and deep, and she didn't hesitate when he leaned in to give her a gentle kiss. Their arms were around each other enough that they could feel each others heartbeat start to thunder. Electricity flew through the barest contact of their lips...

She leaned in tighter, deepening the kiss from electric to explosive, and they devoured each other as the eternal seconds passed, the world around them suddenly non-existent… The need to breathe caught up to them eventually, and they broke apart, foreheads touching, both gasping…

"…wow…" Wheeler gasped out finally.

And then Linka shoved him away sharply. Lips bruised, breathing hard, Linka hissed quietly, mindful of the others sleeping nearby. "Wha... What are you doing? What _the hell_ are you doing?"

Wheeler blinked rapidly, trying to catch up. "What am _I_ doing? It took two, sister!"

"Wheeler!"

"Is it so hard to admit you were enjoying yourself?" Wheeler hissed.

"Yankee, we are in exile! We're on the run! You think this is the time to make a move?"

"Seemed to be okay with you a moment ago!"

She flushed bright red. "This is not the time for this! We're running for our lives."

"We are always running for our lives, or hiding from a bad guy, or on a mission to save the world. Why can't you just relax and have fun for once?"

"With you?" Linka bit back scathingly. "Wonder how I'll look in the photos you take of _us_?" She regretted it the instant it left her lips.

Wheeler gritted his teeth and snarled back. "I know. What was I thinking?"

Linka looked down. "I'm sorry. That was too far..."

"Yeah. It really was... When those photos came out, I told Gi that sooner or later, you'd play that card. At least we got it out of the way." Wheeler turned away from her pointedly and sat down. "Let's just forget about it."

Linka felt worse. It was the second time this had happened. She had approached him, intending to make it better, and she'd made it worse by rejecting him, though a part of her didn't understand why she did so. "I'm sorry..."

They both turned at the sound of movement. "Guys?" Kwame groaned. "What's happening?"

Wheeler and Linka glared at each other for a moment. "Nothing."

Kwame turned over, facing away from them. "Can't you two play nice even for a minute?"

Wheeler turned away from Linka pointedly. "A minute. At most."

Chilly silence.

Linka sighed. "I'll take the watch. Get some sleep; it'll be dawn soon."

Wheeler stepped away from her without a word and slumped down in the sand next to his brother.

JJ opened his eyes a moment later. "You two aren't Fire and Wind, you're Fire and Ice. You know what you get when you mix Fire and Ice?"

"Go to sleep, JJ." Wheeler growled as the eastern sky began to lighten.


	6. Shatterpoint

JJ had his nose pressed against the canopy the second it was visible on the horizon. Hope Island had been conjured from nothing. It had a fully stocked ecosystem of animals that had never made nests and habitats for themselves. It had fully grown trees that had never seen a winter, and size enough to demand all the maps of the world be redrawn. After several months, the natural growth and positioning of the island had taken its toll, and the ecosystem was now 'broken in'. The rivers had settled in their course, the animals had found places for themselves, the trees and plants had either thrived in the climate or passed on, and Hope Island lived, unconcerned with the few people who lived on it.

Linka's grandmother, and young orphaned friend Ruby had moved there for a time, at her request, until the long Russian winters were behind them, whereupon they returned to Russia to discover their town was on the map again. A few of Kwame's old workmates, facing hard economic times had set up residence also; but they had returned home as work became available. Their time on the Island had resulted in a much more complete picture of what was there, having spent much of their time exploring the small continent.

The Planeteers each had a modest private residence set up for the few times they had no mission, and a break in their campaign.

"What do you think, JJ?" Kwame asked the kid.

JJ was beaming. "It's perfect."

"That's the word." Gi agreed.

JJ beamed at his brother. "Told you I'd get here one day."

"Yeah, you did." Wheeler smiled softly. He was glad his brother was excited, but he was here in exile. None of them could go back any time soon.

Kwame gave Wheeler an encouraging look and threw a look to the pilot. "Gi, take us on a lap of the Island. Let JJ get a good look at it. And it'll let us see if anyone has been here while we were away."

The Glider did a long silent glide over Hope Island. JJ looked down as the shadow they cast raced over the thick tree canopy of its forests; swept over the waving grasses of its plains... he looked up and saw the tall mountain peak extending up above them. "There's so much here!" He marveled. "I didn't realize how big it was!"

"The mountain goes high enough that there is snow, even at this latitude." Gi told him. "Every river and stream is freshwater. It's said that around the land mass there are canyons that go miles deep around the Island, and that's why the water levels didn't rise around the world. Kwame's friends say it takes over a week to walk the length of the island."

"A week?" JJ repeated. "You can walk across New York State in two days!"

"That's right, Robinson Crusoe." Wheeler grinned as Gi brought them in for a landing. "And it's all ours!"

* * *

"Linka! Linka!"

Linka reacted with disbelief at the familiar voice, and she hauled herself out of the Geo-Cruiser. The long flights were always exhausting, though less so with the new Glider. The Geo-Cruiser was able to travel with more speed, and her powers were needed less to make the trip.

A squealing missile slammed into Linka's legs and nearly knocked her over, but the Russian plucked Ruby off the ground and gave her a big hug. " _Ruby_!" She screeched in shock. "What... what are you doing here?"

"Your dad found us!" Ruby beamed. "They got me and Alana and they brought us here!"

Kwame traded a secret smirk with Gi. "Well, that explains where _they've_ been this whole time."

The relief on Linka's face was like a living thing, as she gave the kid a tight hug. "Ohhh, I missed you!"

"Missed you!" The little girl beamed back, and she saw Wheeler. "Wheels! Alana says that you looked really hot in the photos. Is that why you didn't have a shirt on?"

Wheeler turned as red as his Ring, while most of the others cracked up laughing.

Linka, for once, was the only one not laughing at Wheeler. "You saw the photos?"

"Not really. But Alana says she'll keep them in a safe place so that I can look when I'm old enough."

"Over my dead body." Wheeler and Linka said at the same time.

"Creepy how they do that in stereo." JJ commented to Gi.

"They do it a lot." Gi confirmed.

"We do not." Wheeler and Linka said in unison and glared lightly at each other.

"It's good to be home." Ma-Ti sighed happily, kicking off his shoes and heading up the beach.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

As Hope Island is not a signatory of any recognized extradition treaties, there are no longer any legal options to have the Planeteers brought back for questioning and trial.

Even so, The Justice Department has confirmed that a warrant has been issued, with a charge of Eco-terrorism, and homicide of a Chicago detective. The Planeteers are wanted people. As long as they stay on Hope Island, they are not threats to the public. Anyone with information regarding their escape, or their future plans is urged to contact the authorities.

The State department has issued a travel advisory for all international flights and shipping coming into relative proximity to Hope Island, and a standing warrant and reward for their arrest has been issued in several allied and extradition countries...

* * *

Alana met with Kwame and Gi as Linka and Ma-Ti showed JJ around the island, and Wheeler occupied Ruby's attention. Linka quickly gave her grandmother a hug. "It's so good to see you!" Linka gushed in relief.

Alana held her granddaughter back. "Your father showed up, told us we had to get out fast. I wouldn't leave Ruby. They had us on a plane very quickly. Your mother booked us all on a cruise that went through this part of the ocean, and we slipped off the cruise ship into a motorboat during the middle of the night."

"Are mom and dad still here?" Linka asked.

"No. They headed off as soon as they dropped us. I think they were looking for Gi's parents."

Gi jumped up. "Do they know where my family is?"

"They didn't have a whole lot. They said your father headed south along the coastline, then made the jump to an island to the east..." Alana said.

"He's following the old holiday route." Gi said, already drawing a map in her head. "Let me think..."

"I heard about the explosion at the Reclaimer." Alana said to Kwame. "The way they focused on the explosion and not the proven fraud made me think there was more to the story than was publicly told."

Kwame sighed hard. "Here's what we know-" He started to explain for the third time, when Alana held a hand up.

"Kwame, its fine." Alana waved the explanations off easily. "I know that sometimes what is reported is convenient for the needs of people in power. It happens in most countries. Given what you told me of The Corporation, it looks to me like they've got you good."

"They have." Linka admitted. "Nobody but us knows the full story about us and The Corporation. After hope Island was formed, there were millions of questions. We and Stumm both let it go so that we wouldn't spend our lives in court. Most of the world thinks that we're near-allies with Stumm himself."

"The situation has become more serious." Alana said darkly. "I've been listening to the news on the Internet feed you have in the communications room. A warrant has been issued for your arrest in America. There are several other countries enacting similar measures. If you go anywhere in the western hemisphere ever again, they'll catch you."

Kwame nodded. "I figured that would happen."

Linka's grandmother looked at him carefully. "So. What are you going to do?"

Kwame sighed. "I don't know."

"I do!" Gi said sharply. "We go get our families out of danger! And we do it right freaking _now_!"

* * *

Gi's sentiment was a popular one. The Planeteers didn't agree on much right them, but getting the rest of their families out of the public eye, and safely to the Island was the one point they were certain of. They didn't know where the key danger was coming from, but they knew that somebody out there was targeting them. If it was the Corporation, they had no rules. If it was law enforcement, then they were after the Planeteers on false charges... If it was any number of bounty hunters or crooks after the reward money...

The Geo-Cruiser was the fastest mode of transport they had, and it didn't have a lot of room for passengers. Gi and Linka knew how to fly it, Wheeler and Linka's family was safe, and though nobody said it outright... Kwame didn't have anyone to rescue.

* * *

JJ was still jetlagged, and quickly out of it. They took him to Wheeler's place. Linka stayed behind for a moment, waiting for him to finish settling his brother in. She hadn't been in Wheeler's place for a while. Hope Island was usually a base for them to sleep at between missions, and they'd all spent some time setting their homes up.

Wheeler had improved on his indoor garden from New York, taking out the walls of one room and replacing them, making the large back room nothing more than a Greenhouse, collecting the east-west light. The rest of his home was living space. There were movie posters on the walls, pictures of the five of them on mission or around the world from Ma-Ti's camera, a wall hanging from Polly...

The picture of his mom was in a drawer, so that he would see her every time he opened it. Linka didn't think she was supposed to know, but there was a picture of her there too. She didn't know when he'd taken it, but it was a picture of her smiling at something, her hair swept around her by the breeze...

"Linka?"

Linka turned to see Wheeler coming out of his room. "How is he?"

"Out like a light." Wheeler reported, heading into his indoor greenhouse. "He hasn't been time-zone hopping as long as we have."

Linka followed him. "Looks like the place has held up well in our absence."

Wheeler nodded. "Gi helped me rig up a continuous water supply. Some garden water features, like fountains or birdbaths, use a solar powered water pump, and they're surprisingly affordable. I need to harvest some of this."

Linka looked around. The garden was like a larger version of what he'd had back home. The larger pots were on the ground filled with climbing plants and bushes, the smaller pots with lettuce and small plants were hanging or on shelves. One of the windows was open for ventilation, and the walls were largely replaced with Perspex and glass, letting constant light in. "You know that you've got about a million square feet of fantastic growing land on the other side of that window." She observed. "You don't need to do it indoors."

"I know, but a lot of people where I come from don't have that option. Maybe it's easier for me here but… It's just how I do things." Wheeler said. "Plus, with an Urban Garden I don't stress about weeds, grass, bugs, parasites, frost…" Wheeler stopped as he yawned hugely.

Linka smirked. "Looks like you could use a nap too."

"Yeah... I uh... didn't get a lot of sleep on the way here." Wheeler looked uncomfortable.

Awkward beat.

Linka looked down. "Yeah... Wheeler, about last night..."

There was a knock on the door. Linka hesitated. Wheeler spun to the door in relief. "Come in!" He called quickly, grateful. "We're in the greenhouse."

Kwame stuck his head in. "Let's move."

* * *

"We got the Geo-Cruiser set up for the return flight." Kwame explained as they headed down to the coast. "But with the solar batteries at half charge; Gi will need you for take-off on this end, _and_ the flight there."

Linka saw her family on the beach waving to Gi and Ma-Ti as they climbed aboard the Geo-Cruiser once again. She sighed and looked to Wheeler. "I hate to leave them."

"Ruby and Alana? Can't be helped. You have to take that flight; you're the engine. I'll take care of them, I promise."

"I know you will." Linka agreed. "You really think Gi's family can drive a houseboat clear across the ocean?"

"I think if anyone could get them here, it'd be Gi." Kwame offered.

"Probably."

* * *

A few days passed and nobody had seen or heard anything of the Planeteers. The guards at the New York Harbor were selling their story, the details being blown all out of proportion. People were coming forward with tales of threats and mysterious and frightening powers, some true, some false.

In the Information Age, such news reached even the Amazon Jungle, and Sergio quickly took action.

Sergio was one of Ma-Ti's oldest friends. Sergio had worked as a tour guide in the Amazon for most of his adult life. During his training, when Ma-Ti was a boy, Sergio had got himself lost in the jungle. In the Amazon, there was no shortage of things that could kill you. Sergio had run into a nest of poisonous insects. If Ma-Ti hadn't found him and dragged him through a mile of jungle in the dark, he would be long dead.

But all that was before The Ring. Before Hope Island. Before The Planeteers. Ma-Ti had changed. He was a boy that barely spoke when spoken to, who couldn't look a domineering bully in the eye... What was he now?

Sergio collected his gear from the back of his truck. Even with what was going on in the world, he had work to do patrolling and protecting this area of the Amazon. A week before, her had been told that his jurisdiction had been altered. There was now several hundred square miles, reclassified as being no part of the Amazon any longer. He expected the earth-movers to come any day now. It made him sick, but he had no power over that area any longer.

He still patrolled the area as best he could, because every now and then, an eager lumberjack would step over the border and be fair game; to say nothing of the garden variety poachers that came and went. The story of what Ma-Ti had done to a pair of game hunters was legendary in this part of the jungle, but with Ma-Ti out of the picture...

And then the jungle just went dead silent.

Sergio looked up sharply and rested a hand on his holster. The jungle was never silent. Never. "Hello?"

Out of the darkness of the jungle, a figure seemed to just... materialize.

It was Ma-Ti. "Sergio, my friend."

"Thank god!" Sergio said in open relief. "Are you... is it safe?"

"Safe?"

"They've already been here. They said they were with the Government, but I didn't believe them. They wanted to know where you were. I told them the truth, I didn't know." Sergio took a breath. "Then they wanted to know about your parents."

Ma-Ti stiffened. "What did you tell them?"

"I told them that you hadn't been in touch with them since Hope Island was formed, and they didn't know where you were either." Sergio gestured around. "They could be watching right now."

"They aren't." Ma-Ti said with certainty. "They were watching in the jungle about eighty feet back from the village. I... took care of it. But my family wasn't there, so I came to you."

"Your family is here at the Visitor's Center with me. It seemed like a good idea to get them somewhere a little less public once the reward was posted."

"I appreciate that."

"Ma-Ti..." Sergio said carefully. "Your family scares me."

"Why?"

"Ma-Ti, the sky is falling on all our heads and they're acting like it's a summer rain-shower. What the hell did you _do_ to them?"

Ma-Ti looked down. "It's not as bad as you think. I... I took the easy way out. I had to leave home, and it was the easiest way to..."

"To what?" Sergio demanded. "They've been like this for six months now. I didn't say anything because... well, because I trusted you, and with all the fear Hope Island created, I didn't dare rock the boat. But now... Ma-Ti... This isn't you."

Ma-Ti shrugged. "I had to leave. I was fifteen, and they weren't going to let me go, and I did the only thing that was open to me."

"I've been watching the news... they wonder if you and your team are dangerous. They say you might be. Bring Milena and Leandro back, or they will be right."

He didn't even wait for an answer. He made his way into the Visitor's Center, and Ma-Ti followed.

Sergio was a friend. He had been like a big brother to Ma-Ti. Powers aside, Sergio reminded him of Wheeler. The one who looked out for those younger and smaller than he was. And before the Ring came along, Ma-Ti needed that. He could not turn away Sergio's opinion so easily.

_Sergio_ _cannot_ _understand_ _what_ _he_ _'_ _s_ _asking_ _…_ _or_ _what_ _I_ _did._ Ma-Ti thought to himself. Then her argued with himself. _Do_ _you_ _really_ _think_ _that,_ _or_ _are_ _you_ _just_ _scared_ _to_ _take_ _back_ _what_ _you_ _did_ _again?_

Ma-Ti had put his family under a spell almost the moment he got his Ring. It was the easiest way to leave home. Wheeler had warned him several different times that doing things the easy way was a slippery slope. A point that was proven when Bligh had managed to take his Ring off him for a time. Ma-Ti had tried undoing what he had done to his family. Their outrage made him chicken out.

But he couldn't hide behind that this time.

He also couldn't face them. He stood frozen in the doorway.

"Oh, hello Ma-Ti." His father Leandro said when the door opened. "I'm glad to see you."

"How are things out there?" His mother Milena said, as though Ma-Ti had been for a quick walk over the last six months.

Ma-Ti started to answer, and hesitated...

Sergio just glared at him.

Ma-Ti raised his ring before he could over-think it. It flashed brightly for a moment, and Sergio could see the golden light reflected in their eyes.

Beat.

Ma-Ti braced himself. The last time he tried to take back what he had done, they had reacted with outrage and tears.

This time was different. This time there was fear. His parents both drew back from him, closer to each other. His mother started crying softly, and his father... His father reacted as though he'd just stepped into a room with a Jaguar, and was trying to decide how to live through it.

Sergio stepped forward and spoke first. "When I realized what Ma-Ti must have done, I could have confronted him then. I didn't. For that I am sorry. In his defense, he could have refused to undo what he did. Or... He could have done it to me too."

Heavy silence.

"We're not going with you." Leandro said finally.

Ma-Ti felt cold inside. "Mom, dad... Please." He reached out a hand to his mother.

Milena shied away from him. "Ma-Ti... I don't know what to say. What do I say that will be honest, and not get me brainwashed again?"

Ma-Ti looked down. "It was the only thing I could do."

Long painful silence.

"Leandro, Milena... I think you should go with him." Sergio put in. "There's bad things coming, and Hope Island is probably still the safest place."

"No doubt. See, the Visitor's Center has a television. Our village does not. And now that I know I should be worrying about what I saw on the news..." His father said angrily, and Ma-Ti shivered again. "It's quite a mess we've been landed in here."

"If you remember the news, you know what I've been doing this whole time." Ma-Ti said softly. "If I had asked, would you have let me go?"

"Ma-Ti, you're fifteen! And if you try and tell me that you're mature enough to handle some incredible mind powers, I've got some reasons to think you might be wrong!" His father snapped.

Sergio got between them again. "Leandro, this is not the time for this!"

Ma-Ti bit his lip. "He's right. We're on the run. Either you come with us, or..." He looked down. "I won't force you."

"Not _this_ time, anyway."

"Dad... Do it to protect mom. However you feel about me, she'd be safer on Hope Island." Ma-Ti said. It was shameless manipulation. The lowest card he could play to make his father do what he wanted, short of using the Ring.

His parents just glared at him. "All right. Let's go."

* * *

Gi looked over her shoulder. Ma-Ti was sitting in the back with his parents. The two adults were glaring at everything, alternating between barely restrained anger and cold suspicion.

Linka was in the front row with her, and she leaned over quietly. "Is it cold in here, or is it just them?"

"Yeah." Gi agreed softly.

Long silences from Ma-Ti was nothing unusual. They had met his family briefly after the formation of Hope Island, and they had all knew that Ma-Ti must have done something. But their powers were new at the time, and things were happening quickly; so none of them called him on it.

It was six months later now, and things were getting serious. The barely contained anger his parents were giving off indicated that things had changed.

"What keeps this thing in the air?" Milena asked finally.

Linka grinned. "Me."

It was meant to be light and fun, but it only seemed to make them more nervous.

Gi chuckled. "Speaking of that... When we get to Japan... can you handle this thing all the way home?"

Linka smiled. "You tell me. You taught me to fly this thing."

"This is not a thing." Gi said hotly. "The Geo-Cruiser is not a _thing_. The Geo-Cruiser is a beautiful merging of wonder and magic and function and freedom and purpose and pleasure."

Linka blinked. "Are we still talking about the Glider?"

"We are talking of the great and wonderful beauty that is my baby, the one and only Geo-Cruiser." Gi said solemnly. "Geeks Rule."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

...And now we turn to our panel of experts, for the latest in the ongoing saga. Jake, how much trouble is this small Russian town in?"

"None."

"None?"

"None. Because it doesn't exist any more. The Russian government had to come in after the air tests came back positive. They were all packed up, and shipped them out before they all dropped from toxic waste exposure. There were only fifty or sixty people there. The problem isn't this town. Fifty people can be moved in the middle of the night at the drop of a hat. There's a much larger problem!"

"He's right."

"Our legal editor, Micheal Massey. What's the bigger problem, Mike?"

"What if Linka Petrova _hadn't_ hit a small factory on the edge of her tiny town?"

"A factory that was involved in plainly illegal activity."

"Granted, but if she had just consulted with someone... _anyone_ , then those chemicals would not have been thrown into the air, and she might still have a home to go back to, assuming she isn't arrested the second she sets foot anywhere but that island. What if she'd hit a factory closer to Moscow? She could have caused thousands of deaths!"

"Mike's correct. The Planeteers answer to nobody, and they have immense destructive power. The Reclaimer is hardly the only time they've used that power, and until then they got away with it, over and over and over again. The negligence of one Planeteer wiped out one town full of people. What else might they have screwed up with their power, and not even noticed?"

"The Planeteers don't answer to anyone. Nobody checks and sees who's going to get hurt; nobody knows what they'll do next."

* * *

Kim switched off the television in disgust. He had no idea if anything the news had to say about his daughter and her team was accurate or not, and given some of the things already said about her...

"You believe it?" His wife asked.

"I have no idea. I don't believe half the things I saw on the news even before all this. In any case, we have more important problems now."

"You can check the weather as many times as you like, it's not going to change the fact. We'll never make it across the ocean. Even in calm weather, the swells are just too much for a shallow water boat like this to survive. We have to turn back."

"It's not safe back there. The boat was being watched. I mean, even before the news named our daughter a terrorist, we were being watched. You know that."

"I do. But… I don't know."

For a long beat, they just sat quietly and thought it over.

She stood up and strolled the length of the boat, going to the back windows. The houseboat never had a lot of room and after a week on the water, trying to avoid waves…

"Kim!"

He went over to the window quickly to join his wife, and found her staring up at the sky. Circling silently overhead was a large golden aircraft, with a clear dome on top. There was nobody in the Industrialized world that didn't recognize the Geo-Cruiser. They both leaned out the window and waved up at it ecstatically.

The Geo-Cruiser slowed dramatically, and the dome opened. A figure that they instantly recognized as their daughter climbed out and sat on the wing, as the Geo-Cruiser came in low and slow over the water. Gi released her grip and dropped fifteen feet into the ocean waves, feet first.

Both of them scanned the waves frantically, when the water beneath them bubbled and Gi emerged from the water like a mermaid. Her hair and clothes were dry, though she had emerged from the ocean. A fountain of water rose from beneath the surface, propelling her up, and Gi stepped across to the boat with a huge smile. "Hey guys."

The entrance was stunning enough without it being their daughter. They practically fell on her as soon as she stepped into their reach. She hugged them back tightly.

"How did you find us?" Her father asked.

"I knew where you started out, I knew how fast the boat could move, I had a general area, we circled a good while, and Ma-Ti apparently has a pretty good range when he's trying to find someone. You're the only people on the waves out here."

"It's so good to see you. I'm sorry we couldn't wait at home, but people were watching the boat... And after the reward was posted, we started getting warnings. Phone-calls saying that we were in danger. I have no idea who it was, but they suggested we make for Hope Island."

Gi was stunned. "We got the same warnings after the Reclaimer blew." There was a moment of silence, but Gi shook it off. "We have to get moving. You don't have to worry about the waves any more. Full speed to Hope Island."

"We don't have the fuel to get her there. The batteries definitely won't get us there."

Gi grinned. "And here you thought I was wasting my time with all that surfing." Her Ring gleamed with dark blue light. "Water!"

* * *

JJ came out with a yawn. "Mm. What time is it?"

"Late morning." Wheeler said. "You're still on New York time. Jetlag will take a while."

"How do you handle it?" JJ asked. "You're never in one time zone for long."

"Well, I can't speak for the others." Wheeler said. "But I grab catnaps. An hour here or there, you get six hours and don't slow down. Coffee?"

"Sure." JJ said. He was a little young for coffee, but he was on Hope Island at last. It felt like he was growing up.

Wheeler had a thermos next to the kettle, and poured his brother a cup. "Sugar?"

"No thanks."

"You ever drink Coffee before?"

"No."

"Take sugar."

"Okay. Why a Thermos?" JJ asked.

"Electricity is the hardest thing to get on this Island." Wheeler explained. "I boil a full jug of water, it takes power. I boil it four times, for whenever I need a cup, it takes four times the power. I boil it once and keep it in a Thermos where it stays hot all day..."

"Ah." JJ nodded. "Where does the power come from on this island?"

"Well, we had capital enough that we could afford solar gear. Solar hot water is getting easy to find all over the place, and LED lighting means that the lights have a low power draw. We've got a satellite receiver in the Geo-Cruiser for all the incoming calls we get, and a laptop can do most anything an entertainment unit can do. Heating and cooling are the hardest power draws. Gi rigged a waterwheel to provide us with extra juice. Wind turbines don't really work for household stuff, but Gi was talking about rigging one up for a flour mill."

"Flour mill?" JJ repeated.

"We set one up, we can let it work. Windmill will make power, pump water, and grind flour. We can grow wheat, but without a supermarket, we have to turn it into bread on our own." Wheeler smirked. "The last six months we could afford to get some long life stuff shipped in, but now we might have to look into the flour mill idea." He shook his head and got back to the point. "Anyway, solar works for battery chargers, which cover phones, MP3 players..."

JJ nodded. "So. What do we do today?"

"Your first day here, other than Kwame, the others are gone to get their families... How about a tour?"

JJ nodded. "Cool. Um... what do we eat?"

* * *

There were still plenty of fruit trees growing on the Island, and they had long life provisions shipped in during their first month. The five of them were getting better at cooking bits and pieces, and Wheeler had to cook for himself and his brother since their father got his orders.

A meal later, the two brothers made their way out of Wheeler's home, and started their tour.

"We all started out in prefabs, and then put our own places together. I made something similar to the original, with a stronger roof for the roof garden."

JJ nodded. "Yeah, I saw some of those in New York. Never seen one on a one story home before."

Wheeler shrugged. "I figured, why the hell not do it myself?"

JJ grinned. "You can do anything here can't you?"

Wheeler grinned back. "Why do you think I'm smilin'? So, let's start with Planeteeer-ville. My place you've seen, Linka is right next door to me."

"And the secret tunnel is still under construction." JJ commented under his breath.

"A work in progress." Wheeler teased. "Linka kept the prefab, which was basically a very basic home. A bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom, and the living room in the middle. Three walls shared with the other rooms, the forth with the front door in it. Linka made a big change though, and cut huge windows and skylights for herself in every room. She grew up in an apartment in a falling down block in icy climate. She's now got tropical views in every room."

"All those windows don't get cold?" JJ wondered. "I remember something about letting the heat bleed out..."

"Not really. Double glazed windows, tight seals on them. Not so much heat loss that Linka would care. Frankly, when we're here, she spends most of her time around back." They moved on around the semicircle of buildings and found their way to Linka's house. The vegetable patch out back was a lot bigger, and had more variety. Linka's place was full of windows and skylights. Through the windows, JJ could see flowers in pots.

"Ruby told me that every inch of space they could grow things back in Linka's hometown is taken up with food, so Linka's taking advantage of the tropical climate. She goes into the forest and collects wildflowers, brings them back live. Outdoor garden for food, indoor pots for the flowers" Wheeler grinned. "Now, Linka would be horrified if we went into her private residence, but this is a special occasion. The first tour any of us have given, and with Linka off the Island, I guess we'll just have to let ourselves in-YowchYowchYowch!"

Alana had appeared as if from nowhere behind Wheeler and taken his earlobe in a twisting grip. "I'm sure I didn't hear you almost say what I think you almost said."

"No Ma'am." Wheeler and JJ said in experienced unison.

Alana released him. "If you two aren't going to help me and Ruby, you had better make yourselves useful somewhere."

"Yes Ma'am." The two of them said and quickly made their way elsewhere; heading toward Ma-Ti's house.

It was a simple hut, woven together from branches and long palm leaves. JJ looked it over, and he could have sworn that the branches were growing straight out of the ground. The roof was covered in small wild-flowers, making it look like something long abandoned and overgrown by nature, but not rundown.

"Ma-Ti practically hand built his own place. It's a hut like he had back home, only with a more solid frame under those branches. Thing is, it's empty."

"Empty?"

"I've been in there. No furniture to speak of, nothing on the walls, no kitchen. It's got a hammock, and a box to put his clothes in, that's it. No lights, no running water... Ma-Ti wants a snack, he goes to the trees and gets a fruit. He wants a drink, he goes down to the stream. He doesn't even have a cup to drink out of... I don't know if that's the way he's used to it, or if that's just Ma-Ti... never know what to make of him. Sometimes you have to remind him to eat something, sometimes he'll follow you into a revolving door and be waiting for you on the other side."

"Spooky." JJ said quietly.

Wheeler led him further, toward Gi's home. "Yeah, but he's family, and his sixth sense has saved us enough times. So he's our kind of spooky. Anyway, Gi's place is next. It's like a hut you'd find in Hawaii, done Japanese style."

It was a large square bamboo hut, up on supports, with wooden stairs leading to a patio that went right around the outside of the structure. It had sliding doors, and sloping roofs that extended outward over the patio's. The whole roof was covered in solar panels, and a satellite dish mounted on one corner. It looked like a chimney came up through the dead center of the roof. The patio next to the door had a rack with a trio of surfboards stacked neatly.

"Looks like something out of a samurai movie, except for all the solar panels." JJ said aloud.

"Gi was born and raised on a houseboat. The place she built has a lot of room. Too much for her to be honest, but she's got a whole workshop set up the there. Gi's home is like her brain. Twenty percent living space, ten percent storage, seventy percent projects in progress."

JJ nodded, enjoying this little tour. "That leaves Kwame."

Wheeler led the way down toward Kwame's home. "Kwame picked a spot closest to the beach." Wheeler explained. "I've seen where he lives, and frankly I'd be amazed if he'd ever _seen_ an ocean before all this. Kwame kept the prefab unit and started doing wall murals on every wall, inside and outside."

"Murals?" JJ repeated. "He didn't strike me at the type."

"Me neither, but he's good at it." Wheeler admitted.

Kwame's hut was visible from a long way away. The whole place was painted over in an amazing mural that showed pictures of places the Planeteers had been. An island that morphed into a national park that morphed into a huge city. The mural just blended one shot into another, and over it, a large featureless oval, painted gold, and lined like a longitude/latitude grid on an old map of the world.

"He says there's a lot of them back where he comes from, so I guess it is to him what urban gardens are to me." Wheeler explained the mural. "We all adapted some solar cells, a few car batteries, and grey-water systems, all except Ma-Ti. So that's the town, such as it is. The creek has a waterwheel for extra power. There's only one generator on the island, and we use it to charge up the bikes. We don't use them often, and the solar panels are usually enough, but if you're in a hurry..."

"Solar cars?"

"Not solar. Electric. And only bikes and ATV's so far." Wheeler said. "Gi's been tinkering with old motorcycles, rigging them for battery power, like she did with her family houseboat. Professional electric bikes, good ones anyway, can actually go as fast as any motorcycle, even without pedaling. But they cost a bundle at this point, and we don't have any roads here so..."

The two brothers had reached the bike shed, and Wheeler rolled out an ATV, with car batteries slung where the engine would be. Wheeler climbed on and gunned the motor. It ran a lot quieter than other dirt bikes. JJ climbed on behind him and they headed off, at cruising speed down the length of the plains toward the forest.

After a while, JJ spoke. "Y'know, now that I think about it… It's bigger than I thought it would be." JJ admitted. "Why don't more people live there?"

"Nobody asked." Wheeler explained. "It's legally another country, with only five residents. Eight if you, Alana and Ruby stay permanently. Ten if we manage to get Ma-Ti's family here, twelve if we can find Gi's parents out in the ocean. The people who don't want to risk it are worried it'll vanish back into the ocean, the ones willing to chance it either can't get here or have no legal right to come."

* * *

After a while, they pulled the ATV to a stop at the edge of the forest. JJ took a spot in the shade and looked up at the mountain peak. "Man that's tall."

"We tried climbing it once. No chance." Wheeler said. "It's a sheer drop on this side, not much better on the other side." Wheeler went to the base of a tree and collected a few mushrooms. "I'm cooking."

JJ watched him. "Aren't those poisonous?"

"Some are. Ma-Ti's been teaching me how to spot the difference. You know how?"

"How?"

"The poisonous ones will kill you." Wheeler quipped, and moved on to a grove of wild tubers, digging some up.

JJ watched him as he wandered easily to a stream that JJ didn't know was there, and start washing them off. "Why do I get the feeling that you've done this before?"

Wheeler grinned. "We finished the 'Power Is Yours' campaign, came back here for a month. It was a wake-up call. We spent the first two weeks setting up our homes. Since all the pipes only had to go a short distance and the electricity was... it didn't take as long as we thought, since we'd had all the stuff here waiting for us. Thing was... We were wasting it."

"Wasting what?"

"Everything we ate, it all came from the ration packs the Saratoga left behind. Our own stuff wasn't growing yet, so we spent a week hiking around the island, figuring out what we could eat, what we could scrounge... I don't know if it was deliberate when the Island formed, or if every tropical island is like this, but there was a lot we could forage."

JJ took the tubers and started peeling them with the pocket-knife, as Wheeler reached into his bag and pulled out a roll of tinfoil and a fresh garlic plant out of his pocket, picked from his urban garden. "Tinfoil? I thought you were worried about garbage."

Wheeler took back his pocket knife and started slicing the garlic cloves into small bits. "We are. Ma-Ti knows how to do this by weaving palm fronds together, but I never had the knack for that. Slice the tubers?"

JJ did so as Wheeler pulled a few sticks together and conjured a quick flame. "If you plan on doing this yourself, make sure you build a safe campfire. I'm the only camper that doesn't have to worry about the flames getting out of control."

"Right." JJ grinned and handed his brother back the sliced tubers. "They look like potatoes."

"Tubers _are_ potatoes. Close enough anyway." Wheeler explained. He put the slices in with the garlic, and wrapped the tinfoil around both, tossing the package into the fire. "Now we wait."

"Garlic fries." JJ chuckled. "Just like home. So... What are you guys going to do now?"

Wheeler shrugged. "We don't really know."

"But… I mean, you can't give up, right?"

Wheeler threw up his hands. "We go anywhere away from this Island, and we'll be arrested as criminals."

JJ just looked at him. "Well… that's a good thing right?"

"A good thing?"

"Well, I remember once, I was worried about how my spelling and grammar was going to hurt my grades in the long essays, and you told me that I shouldn't worry about it too much because nobody reads them except for the first and last paragraph… In a way, that took the pressure off. You guys have to take on pollution and destruction and all that. If you're branded criminals already, doesn't that just make it easier for you to do whatever the hell you have to do?"

Wheeler was about to smack his brother across the back of the head for that one, when they looked out to sea and saw the Geo-Cruiser coming in.

"That was fast." Wheeler observed.

"Yeah. Actually, now that you mention it, how fast can that thing go?"

"The Geo-Cruiser? Fast as any small aircraft. Why?"

"Well, I was thinking about what you told me once, about how your powers get stronger when you combine two or more."

"We tried it with the first glider. It doesn't double the power behind the element, it… factors it. Like an earthquake. A 2.0 quake on the Richter scale isn't double the power of 1.0, it's ten times the power. And 3.0 is ten times a 2.0, so we put enough Ring power together, and we'd tear the Geo-Cruiser apart. We played around with it with our first Glider."

JJ nodded. "Hey, you ever try experimenting to see what would happen if you combined all five powers?"

Wheeler went very quiet, feeling his heart start to pound. It was an innocent question. The one thing that the Planeteers had kept secret was how they created Hope Island. For the most part, people had accepted it. Their powers wee elemental after all, and creating land was hardly any easier to explain without telling the process they had used.

But not a one of them had been able to shake the… _dread_ that they all felt when they had combined their powers six months before. Their combined ability had turned loose something truly incomprehensible, and though they all had their suspicions on what the… 'Planet-Force' was; not a one of them had been able to have a conversation about it without wanting to fall down on the ground and cry.

The five of them hadn't spoken of it to each other since That Day. But the agreement was never to summon it ever again.

"No." Wheeler said finally. "No, we never tried that. Let's go meet them when they land."

"So much for lunch." JJ groused.

"Yeah, you get used to missing meals when you live like we do."

* * *

Linka brought the Geo-Cruiser into as smooth a landing as she could. Gi's landings were always easier, since she could make the waves they landed on smoother or softer as needed. Plus she could guide the Geo-Cruiser in snug against the coast to be secured.

Kwame was waving at them from the beach, and as he approached the water, the sand rose and fell aside before him, a natural path of rock rising from the edge of the island, and extending out to them, keeping pace in front of Kwame.

Ma-Ti's parents, in the back, were not as used to such a casual display of impossible power as the rest of them were. "My god… is there nothing you people can't do?"

Linka took it as a compliment and smiled as she opened the canopy. "Not so far." She chuckled.

Ma-Ti seemed to shrink further into his seat as his parents stood up to climb out.

"Hello!" Kwame called cheerfully. "Welcome to Hope Island!"

Milena accepted Kwame's hand helping her down. Linka stepped out onto the ring and jumped down lightly onto the stone dock Kwame had provided. Kwame sent her a quick look. "Gi?"

"We found the houseboat, Gi joined them." Linka reported. "They're not back yet?"

"No, but that's not surprising. A houseboat isn't a sailing ship exactly, and you traveled a lot faster with an aircraft." If Kwame was nervous, he didn't let it show. "In any event, welcome to Hope Island Mr and Mrs Costa. Any bags?"

"We have little." Milena said.

"My wife and I have discussed the matter, and I hope you'll understand that we don't wish to... inconvenience you. We can find a place for ourselves for a while."

If Kwame was taken aback by this in any way, he didn't let it show on his face. "If you like. There's plenty of room to explore on Hope Island. Any ideas on where you'll go?"

"I'm sure we'll find somewhere."

Kwame looked up and saw Wheeler and his brother coming in on the ATV. "We've got a few supplies on the trail-bikes. Water bottles, survival kit, map of the island, such as we've got one… You could take that if you like?"

"Thank you." Leandro said, and pulled his son aside to have a quick, pointed conference. The others wisely left them to it and didn't listen in.

Wheeler and JJ pulled up and saw the scene unfolding. Ma-Ti looked like the world was on his shoulders. "Problem?" He asked Linka quietly.

"I think so." She responded quietly.

Ma-Ti parents broke off from their little conversation, and stepped over to the ATV, climbing on, and making a quick study of it. A moment later, they were driving down the length of the Island, away from the houses.

Taken aback by the brush off, the Planeteers glanced at Ma-Ti, the questions unspoken but clear.

Ma-Ti rubbed his face. "They're going to... think about things for a bit." He said finally. "Wheeler, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure."

* * *

It was several minutes later when Wheeler came out of Ma-Ti's small dwelling, and found Linka waiting for him. "Hey." He said to her quietly. "Welcome home by the way."

"Thanks." Linka chuckled. "The others are getting food together. Ma-Ti's family took off and haven't come back, but I'm willing to bet they can look after themselves in a place like this."

"Very likely. Ma-Ti did the right thing, but at a bad time. So now they're terrified of their own son, and Ma-Ti is..." Wheeler shrugged. "We're in trouble, Linka."

"What do you mean?"

"Gi and Kwame are ready to concede defeat and take auditions for replacements, Lord knows you'd be better off without me; Ma-Ti is out of his head after what he did to his family... The Team is falling apart."

Linka sighed hard and rubbed her eyes. "Wheeler... I don't know what to say." She was silent for a heavy moment. "I get that everyone's having trouble. We got handed a big mission, and if you guys aren't all in this wholeheartedly, then we're never going to get anywhere. What do you want me to say?"

Wheeler just looked at her. "I don't know, Linka. But we're not all like you. We actually look back at what we gave up from time to time."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Angry silence.

"I'm sorry. That was too far." Wheeler said finally. "What can I say, Linka? You always get my blood up, and not always in the good way."

Easier silence.

"Well, maybe having the others here will help." Linka said finally. "Having JJ here helped you. Maybe the same will happen with Gi's parents. Don't know about Ma-Ti's family yet… But I take your point. We've had a bad time of it lately, and it's good to have them here safe. Those we can." Linka conceded. "Were Ruby and Grandmother settling in okay while I was gone?"

"Settling in? Ruby's thrilled to be here." Wheeler agreed. "She says she really didn't like Moscow that much. You can take the girl out of the forest..."

"Moscow?" Linka repeated, suddenly ice-cold again. "She said that?"

* * *

Alana jumped as her granddaughter came at her in a quick march. "Why were you in Moscow?" Linka demanded.

Alana didn't answer for a while, but she was clearly not happy. "Welcome back, Linka, how did things go out there?"

"They went fine, thank you, why were you in Moscow?" She wasn't letting anything change the subject. "Moscow wasn't on your escape route. You said you were in a plane within an hour." Linka pressed. "Why were you and Ruby in Moscow?"

The older woman sighed. "You're too smart for your own good sometimes." She rubbed her eyes. "Fine. Your parents did not find us. They knew where we were. We were staying with them."

"Why? What happened back home?" Linka demanded.

Alana bit her lip. "My dear, there is no easy way to say this. Our little town on the edge of the forest... is gone."

Linka blinked, uncomprehending. "Gone? How could it be gone?"

"We were disbanded. The authorities came in quickly and loaded us all onto trucks. Those that had somewhere to go, like me and Ruby... we found a place... The rest of the town was taken to a refugee center. There's nobody in our town any more."

Linka felt her hands shake. "W...why? Why would they just..."

Alana looked ill. "This is why I didn't tell you. The... The Chemical Plant had huge underground tanks, where they were storing the chemicals they were dumping in the river. They were getting rid of it in measured doses, so as to avoid attention. But with the plant destroyed, they couldn't come back and collect the chemical stores without being found out. Linka... the underground tanks were damaged by the tornado, and finally ruptured a few weeks ago. The wind blew it all toward our town... people started getting sick, the government came and evacuated us all in the middle of the night."

Linka felt her knees buckle. The tornado destroyed the chemical plant. The tornado she had caused. "What have I done?" Linka croaked.

"You didn't know." Alana was hugging her tightly in an instant.

"WHAT HAVE I DONE?" Linka almost screamed.

Wheeler came in quickly at the sound of her yelling, and saw the unfamiliar sight of Linka in near-tears. "Linka?"

Alana waved him over, and he quickly stepped forward; quickly wrapping her up in his arms.

And for once, she didn't push him away.

* * *

Gi's parents were beyond thrilled. The ocean itself was propelling them forward, keeping a constant speed. Their daughter was perched on the bow of the ship, seemingly unconcerned. Her face was determined, and her eyes were half closed as the waves and swells around them seemed to pause, letting them go through before resuming their eternal sway.

A school of dolphins came along, diving in and out of the still and hovering waves, relishing in this new game to play. They kept pace with the boat as it surfed a constant wave, jumping all around it, chattering away.

They traveled a day and a night that way, their speed was impossible to determine, but they were moving at a constant, on a smooth surface, with no rough waves or weather to slow them down in any way. Gi's head was drooping toward the dawn of the second day, and at last she fell back onto the deck, her father quick to catch her.

"I can't." Gi gasped, exhausted. "I thought if I kept the pattern… Linka can keep us flying for a full day, I thought that if I just stuck to it by rote then…"

"Shhh." Her father whispered. "You did good baby. Go to sleep, its okay."

They tucked her into her old Futon, rolled out for her in her old room.

"What do you think?"

Kim nodded slowly. "The batteries have recharged. We can make it a good distance on them. The waters in this area aren't as heavy, since we're getting closer to a land mass… Hope Island may not have caused coastal flooding, but it did do a lot to the ocean currents in this section on the oceans. I think we can make it. Another day."

They let Gi sleep.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

This is Dan Rydell bringing you up to date on all the latest developments.

In an effort to locate the Planeteers, the State Department has placed a freeze on all Domestic holdings and liquid assets; and demanded information regarding their offshore holdings.

Unnamed sources close to the investigation have disclosed that the international financial holdings of the Planeteers have far exceeded anyone's expectations. The Money trail leads to the private accounts of the late Lucas Bruband.

Washington High Society was stunned at the reading of the will to discover that the long speculated fortunes of the Bruband family was discovered to be nearly non-existent; much to the surprise of his four children.

And now, our financial expert, Victor Deckard. Victor, what are the likely reasons for this?

"Dan, there have always been stories about some of the things the Planeteers could do. We've all heard the rumors about Ma-Ti's abilities."

"There are rumors about all sorts of things. One of the early rumors had Kwame eloping with N-"

"I'm aware." Deckard conceded. "But that's celebrity gossip. This is... a fantastic amount of money, apparently handed over at the drop of a hat by Lucas Bruband, a man who is not taken advantage of easily. He died soon after the transaction, which neatly-"

"Hold on there, he had been ill for quite some time. His death did not come as a great shock to the world."

"Granted, but given some of the things we know they can do... Ma-Ti Costa managed to summon a thousand people into Central Park like a hypnotic suggestion. If the Planeteers want money, they could literally just ask a billionaire to sign over his whole life savings."

"Granted, but..."

"But what? They could do it. It happened. A billionaire signed over his whole life's savings on his deathbed to a group of people who are now on the run. There are some groups that consider the Planeteers as actual religious figures. I think, of all the things being said about them right now, the fact that they could take a dying man for all he's worth is not the most ridiculous thought."

* * *

Kim turned the TV off firmly as he heard Gi stir. His daughter came out, yawning. "Morning."

Gi yawned again. "Morning. Ohh, I crashed."

Kim nodded. "You got us most of the way though. We were able to make the last leg of it ourselves."

Gi blinked. "We're there?"

"We reached the Island. We're currently doing a lap around the coast. Won't take long before we reach your little settlement. Your mother and I were trying to decide if we should wake you."

Gi smiled, pleased. "You want to move in somewhere, or shall we set up a place for you to dock the house?"

"Set up a Dock?"

"Sure. Kwame can make the earth move."

"Yes. I've heard that." Her father said blandly.

Gi flushed. "I... I meant... Um..."

Kim let her off the hook. "So, how long are you staying on the Island yourselves?"

"That's... a very good question." Gi admitted. "We don't know for sure. After what's happened, we're going to have to lie low for a while."

"After happened at the Reclaimer?" Kim mused. "What about..."

"That's not important." His wife said quickly. "We don't need to know about that."

Gi blinked. "Why wouldn't you want to know about…"

"We don't need to know." Her mother repeated. "It's probably best that you don't talk about it anyway."

Beat.

"You think we did it." Gi realized. "Is that it? You think we… Why would you think that?"

Heavy silence.

"Gi…" Kim said finally. "When we first came to Hope Island, we asked Kwame if the factory we worked in was going to be on your hit list. We agree with your Mission, if not always with your actions; and even then… the things you've done in the last six months… we're so proud of you. And we love you. You know that, right? We know there have to be some tough choices, so if the five of you…"

"If?" Gi repeated. "What do you mean 'if'?"

"We don't need to know." Kim assured her. "We trust you. If you did it, then you've got a good reason, and that's good enough for us."

Gi slumped, like she'd deflated. "You think we did it." She whispered.

"Well… didn't you?"

* * *

Ma-Ti came over to Kwame and Wheeler. "Gi's back. The houseboat is coming around the coast now."

"You want to get the welcoming committee together?" Wheeler asked Kwame.

"That worked out so well with Ma-Ti's parents." Kwame observed.

"Well, now that we've had a rehearsal..."

Kwame chuckled. "Find Linka, let her know."

* * *

Wheeler came over to the vegetable patch behind Linka's dwelling. Her grandmother was there, as was Ruby. "Ladies, have you seen Linka?"

Ruby shook her head. "Linka's sad." Ruby said solemnly.

Alana looked up at Wheeler. "James, you sure you want to poke the bear?"

"The bear in question is gonna maul me sooner or later, might as well be now." Wheeler admitted grimly.

"Then think about it for a second. You know where she's gone."

Wheeler did.

* * *

Linka looked down and saw Wheeler sitting at the base of her tree. She ignored him, holding perfectly still.

He didn't look up. "I know you're up there." He said without looking. "You said yourself, you go out, then up."

She sighed hard, hooked her legs over the branch she was sitting on, and dropped to the next one, and from there to the ground. "What do you want?"

"Coming from you Linka…" Wheeler started to tease until he saw her face. "Okay. I want to help."

"How?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you would have a few ideas."

They sat in silence for a while; just them and the trees.

"I was being so smart." Linka sighed finally. "Thought I had the whole thing sorted. Doubts and uncertainty were problems for you and Kwame and Gi, but not me. I just… didn't think."

Wheeler nodded. "Linka… A few years ago, a friend of mine saw a story on the news about how her favorite clothing brand was employing little kids to stitch clothes and shoes and such together. These kids were living in poverty, and making about a buck a day to make these high end brand name clothes. My friend started a petition to shut the factory down. And it succeeded. The factory was shut down, the kids went home. Thing was, that living in such poverty, they only had a few choices for income. They could work in that factory, or they could deal drugs, take up child prostitution… it didn't make things better." Wheeler shook his head. "It doesn't make my friend any less of a good person with good intentions."

Linka waited for the point.

"What happened back in your hometown doesn't take anything away from you. It just means… It means what it is. This thing happened, and yes, it was because of what you did. Doesn't mean you were wrong. _They_ put the chemicals there."

Linka was miserable. "I… Maybe it was the factory that's to blame. Maybe it was their fault. But I pulled the trigger. I didn't even think. All I could think was how mad I was at what they were doing. All I could think was that I wanted to hurt them back. And I did. Wheeler, a few years ago, that small wreck of a town was my whole universe. I never went anywhere else. Never wanted to. When I got the Ring… suddenly everything was so much bigger, and I…"

"You were worried about the whole of it." Wheeler said, knowing what she meant. "Linka, I've never made any secret of the fact that you make me crazy, always looking at the big picture, and ignoring everything else. But the fact is… for all our goals, we're small fry in the world. No matter what we can do, there are only five of us."

"Five people against the world." Linka said. "And I thought I was being so smart about it. Thought I saw the big picture."

"You did." Wheeler said blandly. "The factory was destroyed, the dumping has stopped, the forest is now safe, and only a handful of people had to move. They're all okay; they're just in a different neighborhood now. If you wanted the Chemical dumping to stop, there's the side-effect."

"The big picture." Linka agreed, as though making a toast.

Wheeler sighed hard. "Look, I don't know how to make anything better here but… come have dinner with us? Maybe tomorrow things will get better."

"Maybe tomorrow." Linka echoed.

* * *

Hope Island was quiet, and not in the good way. Even JJ and Ruby could feel it. The tension was thick enough to strangle them all into silence.

Linka had barely spoken three words since she found out the fate of her hometown. Wheeler was looking from her to JJ like he was watching a tennis match. Ma-Ti and Gi were almost moping, and Kwame was too busy replaying the last few weeks in his head over and over, trying to think of what he should have done differently; distracted enough that he didn't notice.

The Planeteers were in exile, barely speaking, all of them shattered and lost in faith... When dinner ended, they all turned in early, barely noticing each other when they did.

The Heroes For Earth were practically disbanded already.

* * *

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

_I see nothing funny in this._

**I'm sure you don't. Would you care to concede now?**

_We are nowhere near the endgame yet._

**No? Because it looks to me like you are. Your elite team, handpicked to save you, and they fell apart. Your team has imploded with very little help from me. What will you do now Gaia?**

…

**Well? What are you going to do?**

_...this._

* * *

JJ was dreaming.

JJ woke up sharply. He was up out of the bed before he realised he was awake. His feet were moving before he had fully woken up.

The cool breeze hit him as the door opened, and he came to himself at last. The moon was full and high, bathing the Island in pale white light that gave it all a ghostly quality. For a time he just stood there in the doorway, looking at the Island, suddenly an alien landscape, as the constant whispered roar of the ocean washed out everything else.

JJ looked, and saw a pale figure in the dark, looking otherworldly.

It was Ma-Ti, his eyes almost glowing in the inky darkness. He slipped back into the night, and JJ took off running after him.

The darkness was so complete under the trees. The moon and stars were gone behind the canopy, and this was a place that had never seen a streetlight. The darkness was like a living things as it swallowed him whole. Somehow he could make out Ma-Ti, and his legs pumped as he ran, barefoot, heedless of the risk. Low hanging branches didn't concern him, rocks on the ground didn't concern him.

He was caught in a trance, as the sounds of Hope Island at night sang their spellbinding song of guidance and direction.

Eventually, the trees thinned as the Mountain was suddenly before him, a rock wall, which went higher than JJ could see. The moon was behind the mountain, casting JJ in it's immense shadow.

Breathing hard, enthralled, JJ looked to the left, where he saw Ma-Ti gazing back at him, somehow at the limits of what he could see. The boy said nothing, just waiting for JJ to catch up. JJ started running again, following the Cliff-side, trying to catch up to Ma-Ti for all he was worth as the night creatures howled and sang and whistled after him.

JJ made it to where Ma-Ti was a moment before and paused, trying to see him.

A light.

There was a brilliant white glow coming from the Mountain. Ma-Ti had vanished completely, and JJ had forgotten all about him, following the cliff face a little further till he got to the source of the light.

It was a cave.

The walls of the cave within the Mountain were smooth and reflecting a myriad of rainbow colors, as the center of the floor held a still pond that shimmered and glowed with an impossible warm light.

Eyes wide, JJ came to the water, and collapsed down in front of it.

The light shimmered, boiled, shifted and made shapes as JJ stared into it. It seemed somewhat like a beautiful young woman, only too... overwhelming. 'She' seemed to be made from many things, like standing water, and smooth ice, and rich soil. Her lips parted with the warmth of golden sunlight and her eyes held impossible ancient calm as her voice rolled over him gently.

**Welcome, JJ.**


	7. We've Got Work To Do

The Planeteers came to breakfast, as they usually did, in the small common area between their homes. The five permanent Eco-homes were arranged in a semi-circle near the cove, with a common area in between. Ma-Ti had arranged to have the place laid out like his town square back home in Brazil, with smooth natural stones laid out to make a flat square.

Kwame had constructed some tables and stools from the trees of Hope Island, and set them out, and in the middle of the square was a fire-pit, where the Planeteers had a bonfire most every night. Hope Island's forests had plenty of driftwood to sustain one fire for five people.

In the few instances they were all on Hope Island, it had been their meeting place, where they had planned out missions, or ate the meals they prepared.

This morning, Wheeler was looking around. "Anyone seen JJ?"

Kwame looked up. "No. Not since last night."

"I woke up this morning, he wasn't here." Wheeler explained.

Linka smirked. "Off exploring, probably."

"Probably."

"Don't stress, Wheeler." Gi advised him. "It's not like there are any kidnappers on the island."

Ma-Ti came wandering up to the table, looking tired more tired than when he'd gone to sleep. "Hey guys? I woke up this morning and I wasn't where I fell asleep. Does anyone know where I went?"

Beat.

"I have no idea what you just said." Wheeler said finally.

"I went to sleep last night in my hammock, and I woke up near the mountain. My shoes were covered in fresh dirt, and I have no idea how I got there." He didn't seem overly concerned about it, just curious. "Was anyone watching?"

The others stared at him. "Has that ever happened before?"

"Not that I can remember." Ma-Ti admitted.

Wheeler's face hardened. "The Mountain?"

* * *

Once Wheeler took of running, the others were quick to follow.

It was a fair hike to cross half the Island on foot, and it took them over an hour.

"You really think JJ came this far?" Linka asked Wheeler.

Wheeler gestured. "Ma-Ti apparently did it in his sleep, so who knows what happened last night?"

"Fair point."

Eventually, they made it to the cliff face. It's shadow was long and deep, as the sun was still rising behind it. It was near nightfall at the base of the cliff wall.

Wheeler crouched. Ma-Ti's shoe prints were visible, as were another set of tracks.

"Bare feet. JJ's size." Wheeler said. "Whatever happened last night, he didn't even bother to put his shoes on."

Kwame looked up. "He wouldn't have climbed the mountain, surely?"

"No handholds. JJ's never climbed anything more challenging than a fire escape. If he wanted to go up, he could have followed the cliff face the other way. It's a sheer drop on this side, but it's a doable hike on the other side of the mountain."

"Assuming he knew that." Linka pointed out.

Gi was still looking down, having moved up the side of the cliffs. "Guys, there are more tracks over here! They go this way."

The Planeteers walked for a while, when Kwame suddenly broke into a run. "I know where he's going!"

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

Chicago PD Officer Julian Hertz was laid to rest this morning with full Police Honors. His widow, Greta Hertz said she was grateful to the department, and to the city of Chicago for their support in this trying time, but refused questions from the Media. A spokesman for the family said that the grieving relatives and friends were just waiting for the truth to come out, and the guilty parties, if any, to be brought to justice.

The event was not without it's controversy however, as protests broke out both at the Hertz home, and the funeral. One was demanding that the Planeteers be arrested and brought to trial immediately, naming them as Eco-Terrorists, and Cop-Killers. The second protest demanding the immediate exoneration of the Planeteers, and an apology for harassment, believing them to be victims of 'Trial By Media."

And now, for more on this, we have Mal Hacker, Deputy Security head of the Corporation, and spokesperson for Vernan Stumm, Corporation CEO, and thus far the only voice in full support of the Planeteers. Mr Hacker, thank you for coming."

"Please, call me Mal."

"Mal. Do you support the actions of these protesters?"

"We agree that the Planeteers are effectively being convicted in the minds of any possible judge or jury; before anyone has even gotten their side of things. That said, it's incredibly inappropriate to picket a Police Officer's Funeral."

"You don't think the evidence is fairly well damning?"

"The only crime that we know for sure was committed in this whole affair came from inside The Corporation. A Patent Fraud took place, with one of our employees already having confessed. How he got away with it this long is still under investigation, and if anyone has done anything illegal, we'll put the cuffs on them personally."

"Would that include the Planeteers, if the charges against them are proven?"

"If they're proven, certainly. In the meantime, they have been driven out of the country by people who were too eager to get the credit for bringing them in. The sooner we can clear up what happened, and get these five young people back into the business of helping make a better world, the happier the Corporation will be."

* * *

The Planeteers had not returned to the Crystal Cave in months. A direct copy of one they had been brought to in Australia when they were first given their Rings, and commissioned on their quest.

They often wondered if there were others across the world, or if the other one they had seen had even been there before…

They came toward the entrance, and heard the sound of heavy breathing.

"JJ!" Wheeler called, and ran to the cave mouth.

His younger brother was in the cave, lying on the floor. Tears were streaming down his face, he was breathing heavily, still wearing just his shorts from sleeping the night before.

Gi reached out to the Crystal Pool, and caught a handful of water, sprinkling it on JJ's face.

JJ whimpered a bit, opening his eyes. Wheeler raised a hand. "Fire."

A small ball of flame appeared over his Ring, and the Crystal Cave was lit with rainbow colored light as the flames reflected off the opal and Crystal walls.

JJ's eyes widened, and stayed frozen on the flame. He didn't see to hear any of the others as they spoke to him gently, trying to get a response from him. He just stared hard at the flame, entranced.

"Get him up." Kwame directed, and he and Linka pulled JJ to his feet.

JJ finally seemed aware of his surroundings as they pulled him out of the cave. "Was I dreaming?" He whispered.

Wheeler looked around the Cave, knowing what lived in these places. "No little brother, I don't think you were. What did you see?"

JJ started to cry softly, though with no great sadness. In fact, he was… awestruck. "I saw… everything I needed to see. She showed me."

The others looked at each other. Gaia hadn't contacted them since warning them at the Reclaimer. She hadn't shown them anything directly since pulling them together. JJ was the first one they knew about outside their number to get her attention.

JJ dropped, his knees buckled.

"Let's get him home." Kwame said quickly.

* * *

"Looks like its just exhaustion." Linka's grandmother said quietly, careful not to wake him. They had carried JJ back to the houses, and put him in Wheeler's bed. He was a mess, and Linka's grandmother had quickly cleaned him up, and tucked him in warmly. "I don't know what he thought he was doing, staying out all night…"

"Neither do we." Wheeler said quietly.

The others felt a wave of sympathy for him. After worrying so long about his brother, he thought he'd got him to a safe place.

The old woman saw it too. She sent Gi a look. _Get_ _him_ _out_ _of_ _here._

Gi slipped a hand into Wheeler's elbow, took his arm. "Wheeler, come take a walk with me for a while? Please?"

Linka sat down next to the bed. "I'll sit with him."

"Me too!" Ruby piped up instantly.

Wheeler's eyes could barely focus. "I'm staying here."

"There's nothing you can do except let him sleep." Alana said gently. "Go for a walk. Stretch your legs."

"Or a swim." Gi suggested brightly. "You always said you'd let me teach you."

"You can't swim?" Linka repeated with amusement, and then looked down suddenly, ashamed of herself.

Wheeler sent Linka a dirty look. "Fine. I'll go. I'm going, just to get away from Linka for a minute."

It was a little sharper than their usual banter, and everyone was suddenly aware of a tension that wasn't there when they left New York.

Wheeler stalked out with Gi, leaving them to themselves.

Ma-Ti seemed barely interested. "I wish I knew what Gaia said to him." He murmured.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"The question everyone's asking is, if The Planeteers are so innocent, then why haven't they come forward?"

"That's a question that _some_ people are asking. Let me give you a better question: if Stumm is such a staunch ally of theirs, then why is he offering a fifty thousand dollar reward for their capture?"

"He's not. He offering that money for anyone who can locate them, As you say, we don't know where they are. They're currently under a vicious character attack, and have withdrawn from public sight. Stumm is doing what he does best: using the vast amount of money he has at his disposal to get things done with great speed."

* * *

Gi and Wheeler walked down the beach, but didn't enter the water. "So, you and Linka are at it again, huh?" Gi said finally, then looked down. "Sorry. None of my business. Long awkward silences, you know?"

Wheeler snorted. "I screwed up. She tried to make the peace… And I went too far. Like always."

Gi smirked. "I figured it was something like that. Don't stress about it. She's more okay with it than she lets on."

Long silence.

"I think I know why Gaia called JJ to the cave." Wheeler said finally.

"Me too." Gi answered softly. "It's... been on my mind a while."

"She wants to replace me." Wheeler and Gi said at the same time.

They stopped, staring at each other in shock.

"What on earth makes you think she wants you gone?" Gi asked in disbelief.

"You're kidding, right?" Wheeler shot back. "Gi, look at our team. Everything bad that has happened to us this month... I'm the weak link in this team, Gi. The one that blows stuff up and gets us in trouble. To say nothing of the photos. This is the most important mission anyone's ever been given, and someone like me doesn't belong in the middle of this. Plus, JJ's my brother; so if there's something in me that Gaia was after; then he'd be the smart choice to..."

"Okay, stop that." Gi interrupted him quickly. "Whatever you've done in the past, you did it before the Rings came. Gaia can't have a problem with it. You're the fighter, Wheeler. You're the one that wins fights and doesn't back down. It's what we're here for."

"So why you then?" Wheeler asked, somewhat confused. "You're the smart one in the group. You're the one that knows where to go and why. You're the one that knows how things connect to each other and where we need to get involved, the one who talks about how to change the world instead of just fighting back. More than that, you've got ideas that will work. You're irreplaceable. Anyone with a baseball bat and a short fuse can do what I can do."

"Yeah but... I'm weak." Gi said softly. "I'm not a soldier. Things got harder this week, and I... I lost my nerve. I've been chewing Kwame's ear off about how it shouldn't be this way, and how it used to be different. You and Linka and Ma-Ti were already over that and working on how to keep going now." She shrugged. "I'm a surfer and I'm a geek, but I'm not a warrior. I don't belong in this team either."

They just stood silently for a while, as the waves crashed next to them.

Wheeler shook his head finally. "I liked being the hero for a while."

Gi smiled ruefully. "Me too."

"I think we just got too caught up in... Well, too caught up. I mean, we're on Time Magazine for crying out loud... and when was the last time you got a chance to go surfing?"

Gi smirked. "It's been a while."

Silence. Wheeler just looked at her expectantly.

Gi smiled broadly, running back for her place. "Be right back!"

* * *

JJ woke up finally, when only Linka and her grandmother were present. He woke up and started laughing. Tears were streaming down his face. He looked like he'd discovered the meaning of life.

Linka leaned over him. "Hey there."

JJ beamed at her. "Linka. Hi."

Linka smiled. "How are you feeling?"

JJ hummed a little. "Hungry."

Alana laughed. "That's a good sign. I'll go get you something."

She slipped out, Linka stayed behind. They were alone for a while, and Linka asked what the Planeteers had been itching to find out all morning. "What did you see?"

JJ sat upright in bed, looking clear. "What happened between you and Wheeler?" He shot right back.

Linka was stunned, not expecting that one. She looked down. "Right. If you don't want to talk about it... It's none of my business. None of us told anyone what we saw either."

JJ chuckled. "No, really. I'm asking: What happened?"

Linka sighed. "We have a pattern. We clash, we spar, we go too far, we try to make it right, and we end up making it worse."

"What set it off this time?"

Linka rubbed her neck. "A small disagreement about the importance of the 'Big Picture' vs. anything else."

JJ smiled softly. "That's Wheels. He gets more worked up about little injustices. The big ones he takes in stride. I think he doesn't get emotional about big problems because he figures there's nothing he can do about them."

Linka nodded. "I'm the opposite." She waved her hands about a little. "How can I be expected to work up an interest in unimportant things when we've got a planet to save? Even if I wanted to, how can I let myself get sidetracked by individual things? The stakes are just too high!"

"Linka, if Gaia only cared about the big things of her domain, the world would end. The smallest of creatures on this planet do the most work to keep the whole alive. Bees and earthworms are the most underrated beings of the planet, but if they stopped doing their work, the world would die inside five years. Bees are dying out in their millions. The oak trees of the forests you love back in your home town come from the tiniest of seeds. Don't be afraid to care about the little things Linka, because it's from little things that big things grow."

His voice had changed. His face was calm, his eyes were clear, and his voice was as strong as anyone who knew what they were talking about.

Linka stared at him, with her jaw hanging open. "When we first met..." She said finally. "You couldn't even look at me. You were staring at your shoes the whole time."

JJ smiled. "I was different then." He said simply.

"Is... is this what She told you?" Linka asked.

"No." JJ smiled. "Not exactly."

Linka's grandmother came back in with a plate of food, and the conversation stopped.

JJ dug into his breakfast eagerly, suddenly seeming like his old self again.

Still somewhat unsettled, Linka stood up. "I'll go tell your brother you're awake."

Kwame came in at that moment. "JJ." He said warmly. "I heard you were back with us."

JJ smiled up at him, and waved him into the chair Linka vacated as she left. Alana went with the young woman, leaving JJ and Kwame alone. "How are you feeling?"

"Smaller." JJ said. "And also, a little more… Aware of things."

Kwame nodded easily. "I had a similar experience after my first visit to the Crystal Cave."

JJ smiled. "But then time passes."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you tell me. This can't be one of the top weeks of your life."

Kwame snorted. "I've had far worse."

"True, but now you blame yourself for things that happen." JJ said. It was not a question.

Kwame just looked at him, as surprised as Linka was. "What?"

JJ looked at him, giving him a forgiving smile. "It's not hard to imagine. You never sought to be in charge of this group, you just naturally took the position. You have the gift of common sense, the will to act, and the measured responses of someone far older than your years. You are of the earth, Kwame; and the earth is patient and calm. These are not calm times, and that unsettles you."

Kwame was just staring, stunned. "Okay. Who are you, and what have you done with Wheeler's brother?"

JJ laughed at that. "Be calm with _yourself,_ Kwame. The five of you are very different. You were chosen because you compliment each other. If the solution is not immediately clear to you, don't forget what the others bring with them. Gaia chose you, but did not name you leader. They did that themselves. Never be afraid that they all look to you. They follow for a reason, and that reason hasn't changed."

Kwame let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Is it enough?" He asked impulsively.

JJ threw back the covers and stood up. "We all think so. I think I'll go for a walk."

Kwame nodded. "Wheeler's on the beach. I'll go with you."

* * *

Gi had gone surfing. Wheeler could hear her whooping from the shore. He was glad for her. Gi was always so level headed. An hour in the surf could make all her worries vanish. He was more than a little stunned that she saw herself as the weak link in the Planeteers. Compared to him, she was a superstar.

"Wheeler."

The American leaped about a foot in the air and spun around. "YAAAH!" He fell on his butt in the sand and took a few deep breaths. "Jeez, Ma-Ti; give me a heart attack, why don't you?"

Ma-Ti hadn't even noticed Wheeler's reaction. "Something happened in that Cave, and I don't know what it is. Keep an eye on your brother. Everyone comes back different."

Wheeler stared, and started to answer, but Ma-Ti was already moving off down the beach again.

"Wheeler!"

The Firebug turned the other way and saw Linka running down the beach. "He's awake!"

Wheeler was up in an instant, running in the opposite direction toward the houses. Linka slowed to a stop in the sand and got in his way. "Waitwaitwait! I wanted to talk to you..."

Wheeler paused. "Linka, no offense, but you better move the hell outta my way."

"Bad time, I agree." Linka nodded instantly and did so, falling into step behind him. "Okay. It can wait!"

Wheeler made it back to the house, and was thrilled to see JJ walking out of the house, Kwame was with him, but not helping in any way, his brother walking without so much as a wobble in his stride. "JJ!"

Kwame was glad to see the two brothers reunited, and moved off to give them some privacy; but inwardly he felt a pang. Everyone was trying madly to bring their families in safe... Kwame didn't have one any more. He turned toward the ocean, giving them time. He saw Gi and didn't realize he was staring, somewhat transfixed. Before joining the Planeteers, he had never seen an ocean, and now he was staring at Gi, moving through the waves, flying like the touch of the water set her soul free.

_She is so beautiful._ Kwame thought distantly, entranced.

* * *

"I don't know if I'll be able to come back to New York ever again, but maybe once this is over..."

"That won't happen." JJ said easily.

"I don't mean the Planeteers, I mean me."

"You're staying." JJ scoffed scornfully.

"How do you know that?"

"Because the others are staying, and there's no way you're going to quit on them. You're still in, because they're in, and they still need you." JJ said simply. "Besides, how else are you gonna get Linka to come around?"

Beat.

Wheeler burst out laughing. JJ laughed too. The release in tension meant that it went on a lot longer than was normal. Then Wheeler snorted accidentally, and they both cackled at that too.

* * *

Everyone gathered together for lunch.

"Hell of a first week on the Island, huh?" Wheeler quipped.

"Yep." JJ chuckled. "I still want to explore some more. You never know. There might be some mystical pizza parlor around the far side of the forest."

Wheeler laughed. "Sorry. I checked. Not even a hot-dog stand."

JJ grinned. "Oh, I would kill for a chili-dog from Madison Square Garden right now. Best hotdogs in the business."

"That's not the hotdogs, that's the Yankees." Wheeler snorted, then pointed at JJ swiftly. "Which Yankee holds the record for the second single season battering average... for a second baseman?"

"Tony Lazzeri." JJ shot back. "What year was Lou Gehrig a rookie?"

"1923." Wheeler fired back. "Who broke Gehrig's record for the most doubles in a season?"

"Don Mattingly." JJ sneered. "What year did the Yankees win more than a hundred games in a season for the first time?"

"1927."

JJ grinned. Wheeler grinned back. _Everyone_ _comes_ _back_ _different,_ _like_ _hell._

"Oh my god." Linka snorted. "All this time I've been calling you 'Yankee', I had no idea..."

"I took it as a compliment." Wheeler strutted.

Ruby was following only half of this, and was feeling a little left out. "I've never even seen a baseball game."

Wheeler and JJ took that far too seriously. They both leveled the young girl with a very severe glare. So severe that she actually moved back a few steps.

JJ stared at Ruby, more like his old self than he had ever been since the Cave. "You don't know baseball?"

Wheeler, in turn, glared at Linka. "I thought you were giving this child an education."

"Well… yeah, about things that actually matter." Linka said.

The temperature swiftly dropped ten degrees.

"Things that _matter_?" JJ repeated acidly. "Wheeler, brother of mine; Did this woman just imply that baseball was _not_ something that mattered?"

"I believe she did." Wheeler said, with a voice that spoke of absolute doom.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

The Corporation announced today that the explosion at the Reclaimer was not the result of a design flaw, or imperfect technology. With sabotage ruled the official cause, The Corporation has begun immediate rebuilding. Corporation CEO Vernan Stumm had this to say:

"We refuse to be intimidated, and will not compromise in our agenda. The world cannot wait for what we have to offer. The Reclaimer is the only facility that can recycle battery sludge, and we have quotas to meet.

"Latest information suggests that it will soon become New York State Law that all businesses over one hundred workers must recycle their industrial waste, including battery waste. It is expected that once the benefits are shown, that law will expand to Detroit, California, and Michigan.

To that end, not only will the Reclaimer be rebuilt, and open on schedule, but we are announcing the construction of three more identical plants, to spread our Eco-tech across the nation."

* * *

Gi wondered if this was a brilliant idea, or the most insane thing they could be doing. The world was hunting them, shadowy figures were dogging their every step, and the Planeteers were playing Baseball.

Wheeler apparently had brought a set of equipment. Baseball, bat, and glove. The one glove was being shared around, mostly by Ruby who had the smallest hands. The game had been going for the better part of an hour. Nobody was keeping score, and there weren't any teams since they didn't have enough people, but nobody seemed to mind.

Gi took a break and sat down on the grass, enjoying watching Ruby run back and forth between Linka and Wheeler, trying to intercept the ball they were tossing each other.

JJ came over and collapsed down in the grass next to her. "This is great." He said, breathing a little hard.

Gi was forced to agree. "First time I've seen everyone laughing in weeks."

"Including you." JJ observed.

Gi looked down. "Including me."

"Ha!" Ruby had managed to jump high enough to catch the ball in her mitt, and she held it up like a prize. "Gotcha!" She turned to Wheeler. "Now, I'm supposed to tag you, right?"

Wheeler was having too much fun to tell her that wasn't it. "Gotta catch me first!"

Wheeler took off running, and Ruby went after him, whooping and squealing like a little kid should. Linka watched them, laughing openly at the spectacle.

Gi smiled a little too, though it was a bit muted.

"Gi," JJ said. "The day you announced yourselves, The Corporation responded by opening new Coal Power Plants, declaring that you were here to take care of any environmental problems. There's a real war going on here, and you're one fifth of the best armed group that the Green Team has. Do you want things to keep going the way they are?"

"No." Gi admitted softly.

JJ nodded. "You remember when Kwame spoke to the UN, and he burned the entire lot of them?"

Gi smiled fondly. "Oh yes."

"How did you feel when you saw that?"

"I felt like standing up and screaming 'Hell Yeah!' at the top of my lungs." Gi chuckled.

JJ laughed. "I saw that little conference. I think most people did. Back at the Planet Foundation, people talk about it a lot. Mostly, they talk about how they agree with him. About the frustration everyone's feeling at the endless stalemate."

"Every year that goes by... the frustration just gets worse." Gi said. "We're the last ditch effort, and we're stuck in gridlock now too. Could be... it's just too big. Science, Economics, Innovation, Public Opinion, Politics... Nothing seems to work. Could be it's just too big."

"Gi, you're the one approaching this Mission by looking for innovation. Why?"

Gi shrugged. "Because things have to change."

JJ just looked at her. "Why?"

"Why?" Gi repeated.

"Why?" JJ asked her. "Things have been going this way without anyone forcing it. We went from Morse Code to Twitter without anyone passing a law to force them or using amazing elemental powers. Why do things have to change?"

Gi was floundering. She had dedicated her life to the Mission, she must have had a clear reason… "Well… because those changes aren't nearly enough. If it's just left to itself… we'll never make it. We have to keep going if only... if only because there really is no alternative."

"Then quit being so squeamish."

Gi looked at him, feeling better, now that she had apparently led herself to where she needed to be. "JJ... You've changed."

JJ chuckled. "I know."

"Are you… okay?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?" Gi asked, unsure why she bothered to ask the question.

"I… went to the Crystal Cave. I don't think I'll ever be sure of anything ever again." JJ said softly, but without anger or fear.

Gi bit her lip. "JJ… what did you see?"

JJ looked at her. "When the five of you were brought together, you were taken to a cave like that, right?"

"Right."

"So… what did she show you?"

Gi was stunned. It was a question she'd never been asked before. The Crystal Cave, and the things Gaia had shown them were the one secret the Planeteers had managed to keep. All five of the ones that knew, were there when it happened. She'd never had to describe it before. "She showed us… everything."

JJ nodded, looking smaller and sympathetic. "That's the word."

* * *

They didn't notice it, but Kwame and Linka were watching them.

"What is he saying to her?" Linka wondered.

"I don't know." Kwame admitted. "What did he say to you?"

"What I needed to hear, I guess."

"Me too."

"TAG! TAG! I tagged you! You're out!" Ruby almost shrieked.

Linka looked over and saw Wheeler still running, now with Ruby on his back, more like a piggy back ride than a baseball game.

Kwame was still looking at JJ. "I'll be right back."

Wheeler ran up to Linka with Ruby on his back, as Kwame left them, nearly falling down next to them. "Linka, this girl of yours is trying to kill me."

"Well, it's good for a kid her age to have goals."

Wheeler grinned. "By the way, babe; I never would have thought your grandmother was such a good shortstop."

Linka laughed.

* * *

Gi caught the ball as Wheeler tossed it back to her, and headed off to play with Ruby and Alana again. Kwame sat down next to JJ.

"So." JJ said. "You have questions."

"I do."

JJ nodded. "To be honest, so do I." He looked distant for a moment. "I saw... I don't know. But when I need something, I know its there." He shrugged. "I can remember seeing... I just can't remember any specific image."

They were silent a moment, as Gi and Wheeler restarted the game.

"What are you here for, JJ?" Kwame asked. "You don't have a Ring. You don't seem to look at things like Ma-Ti does... what are you here for?"

JJ shrugged. "I don't know. I think... I think just this. Gaia... she told me that her Domain provides what is needed. What is needed now... I don't know. But I think that I'm here to provide what is needed. When I do... my Mission is done. Your Mission has just begun."

Kwame nodded slowly. "Well... Our Mission may never end. If I don't figure this team out, it may never begin again."

"Why put it all on yourself?"

"Because I'm supposed to be in charge of this little Revolution."

JJ nodded. "Yep. Takes a lot of nerve to say you're in charge of something like the Planeteers. We're currently sitting on an island that proves it."

Kwame nodded. "I never actually got elected. Just... Our first mission, we were at JFK getting ready to go to Alaska, and... I said I was. And nobody argued with me. In fact, they all agreed."

JJ nodded. "There's a reason for that. All it takes... is for someone to say 'What do we do?' and you have an answer. That's all it is."

"I've got no answers for this one." Kwame admitted.

"How can you be expected to know the answers, if you don't know what the question is yet? Even Gaia can't know the future. All she could do was hope she made the right choice." JJ reasoned. "How many Planeteers were there when you started?"

"Five."

"And how many are there now?"

"Still five." Kwame smirked. "Yeah. We haven't lost anyone yet."

"Not such a bad thing to say." JJ pointed out. "So why doesn't that make you happy?"

"Because... I don't know."

"Yes, you do." JJ prompted.

"Because next time... we may not be so lucky."

"Who says there has to be a next time?" JJ offered. "You're safe here, there's nobody waiting for you... If you wanted to stay here, you could. There never has to be a 'next time'."

Kwame bit his lip. "There has to be a next time. Because the day there _isn't_ a 'next time'... It means we've lost. And we can't afford to lose this one, can we?"

JJ nodded.

"Is this what you're telling everyone?" Kwame asked in curiosity.

"Not exactly." JJ chuckled. "Only what you need to hear." JJ admitted. "Where is Ma-Ti?"

"His turn now?" Kwame grinned.

JJ smirked. "Something like that."

* * *

Ma-Ti looked up as JJ approached. "So... What do you have for me?" Ma-Ti asked, unsurprised.

JJ wasn't fazed. "Who says I have anything for you?"

Kwame was looking back and forth between them. They had an odd similarity about them now; like they were having a different conversation to everyone else.

Ma-Ti looked down. "Is there... anything you want to tell me?"

JJ answered simply. "Your family are on the stream edge of the Forest. Go see them."

"Okay." Ma-Ti said slowly.

"Now." JJ added.

Ma-Ti jumped up. "Oh. Okay, I'm gone."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

The evidence is mounting against the Planeteers. The final finding of the Inquiry is that the Reclaimer was unquestionably sabotaged. The investigation into what caused the explosion has ruled that it was not part of the equipment, or any of the stored chemicals and substances listed in the manifest. The uncovering of the patent Fraud, which is still being investigated, has proven to be irrelevant.

Sources close to the investigation have revealed that Planeteer Wheeler Johnston sent a text message from just minutes before the explosion, to an undisclosed recipient.

The text message read: The Bomb Is Set. Get Clear.

The announcement took the wind out of a lot of sails from the Pro-Planeteer front, and proved to be the final proof for those who demand their arrest.

Vernan Stumm was not available for comment.

* * *

JJ came out of his brother's home yawning, and found a scene of awkward chaos waiting for him in the morning light. The entire population of the island was wondering around, trying not to look panicked, but JJ couldn't tell why at first.

Gi saw him and came running over. "Have you seen Ma-Ti?"

"Not since the baseball game yesterday." JJ said honestly. "Why what's happening?"

She waved at the others. Linka was yelling at Kwame, but she wasn't angry. More like she was trying to be understood by volume. Kwame was struggling to stay calm, and holding up his hands reassuringly. Ma-Ti was nowhere to be seen, Wheeler was still asleep.

Gi bit her lip. "This has happened before, when Ma-Ti or his Ring wasn't available. Something's happened to him. I can speak English, but that's the only common language any of us share without Ma-Ti. Where is he?"

JJ, who seemed spooked by the sudden breakdown in communication, tried to reason it out. "I don't know…. Umm… The river. By the edge of the forest. Ma-Ti was going to try and find his family there."

Gi nodded. "Let's go."

JJ headed for the shed and found the ATV was still gone. "We're walking." He called back.

Gi turned to Kwame, and pointed. First at herself, then at JJ, then at the forest. She pointed to her eye, then put a hand over her heart. JJ and I are going to the forest, to look for Ma-Ti.

Kwame nodded. He held his hands out to her, palms facing her, and she mirrored it, threading her fingers through his, holding his hands with hers. They moved in a little closer, till their foreheads touched gently. He was head and shoulders taller than her, and she leaned into him gently.

"I'll be back soon." She spoke softly to him in Japanese, and then went with JJ.

Wheeler came out of his house yawning as the two of them left. "Morning all. Coffee, please."

Linka came storming over to him, eyes fierce, and she let him have it in rapid-fire Russian.

Wheeler didn't even seem to notice, putting a hand up and clapping it over her mouth without stopping. Linka squawked into his hand, outraged, but he didn't break stride. "Too early, babe. Need much coffee before I can handle you."

She followed after him, swearing and cursing him out in Russian. Still asleep, Wheeler honestly didn't seem to notice that she wasn't speaking any language he could understand.

* * *

Gi and JJ made it to the forest and followed the edge of it, until they smelled smoke. It was a campfire, and they followed it till they could see the ATV.

They had been on the Island only a few days, and in that time they had been busy. Ma-Ti's parents had already assembled a fairly solid temporary structure, carved a bench for themselves to sit on, woven some branches and leaves into bedding, stocked a fair supply of wild-fruits inside, and set up a bamboo frame over the river, with several lengths of wire working as a fishing net.

And in the shelter, was the Costa family. Leandro, Milena and Ma-Ti. The boy was curled up on the floor to the shelter, with his head in his mother's lap, as they both watched him worriedly. Ma-Ti was sleeping, with died tears tracked on his face.

The two adults looked up as they approached. They did not seem surprised. Leandro held out a hand, showing them that he held Ma-Ti's ring. Milena shushed them silently, not wanting to wake her son.

Gi sat down. "I don't know if you can understand me... and I can't think of a single reason why you would care, but we need Ma-Ti back. We are five. With one missing, we don't work. Especially Ma-Ti."

Leandro responded with a sincere, firm tone, and went on a while longer than Gi did.

Gi glanced at JJ, who shook his head. Neither of them understood.

Gi carefully mimed giving Ma-Ti the Ring.

Milena shook her head firmly.

Stalemate.

Gi looked at JJ. "This is going to be very difficult."

"JJ, Gi; are you there?" A voice called.

They both turned. The voice had come from the ATV. JJ quickly went over to it and checked. The battery was flat, so the thing wasn't going to move, but there was a radio in one of the compartments on the side, and it was apparently working. JJ pulled it out. "Wheeler?"

"Gi left her phone here." Wheeler reported. "Kwame said it had a translation app on it."

Gi slapped her forehead. "How did I forget that?"

"Finding her phone was easy, figuring out the Japanese menus long enough to get the damn app working, that was hard." Wheeler added.

Gi took the radio. "It can translate other languages too. "Hold my phone up to the radio, we'll see if you can translate for us."

"Right."

Gi held the radio up to Ma-Ti's father, and mimed talking. He said something in Spanish, and they waited, holding their breath.

"We got nothing on this end." Wheeler reported.

Gi cursed in Japanese. "Damn. The app can't recognize speech over the radio."

From the radio came a burst of Spanish suddenly, spoken by a woman's voice.

"Alana?" JJ blurted. "I didn't know you spoke Spanish."

* * *

"Neither did I." Linka commented.

Alana said something in Russian, which Wheeler translated. "She says there's a lot about her we don't know. A lot of it would apparently shock us."

* * *

Ma-Ti's parents hadn't caught all of that, but understood whatever Alana said, and came over to the radio to respond. They spoke into the radio, where Alana translated from Spanish into Russian, and Gi's phone translated from Russian to English, and Wheeler passed along the message to JJ and Gi.

"Well, in the words of Doctor Who, _Allon-sy_!" JJ said.

"Oh yes, Bro; that's just what we need." Wheeler scorned. "An extra language."

Alana and Ma-Ti's parents spoke back and forth for several seconds. The Planeteers were silent, not having a clue what was being said, but letting the adults talk. They may have known more about what was going on, but Ma-Ti's parents would no doubt value Alana's opinion more than that of five young people.

Finally, Leandro turned to the two young people in front of him.

"Please, you must understand that our son... has changed." Leandro said via Alana and Wheeler. "He was a shy, quiet boy that could not so much as speak up to a bully, and now he's making whole cities turn and bow at his feet, brainwashing his own parents. We do not approve of this change in him."

Gi pointed at Ma-Ti, still curled in on himself under the shelter. "What about _this_ change?"

"We don't enjoy seeing him like this, we just… we want our son back."

"Then put the Ring back on him." Linka snapped from the other side of the radio, but nobody bothered to translate that one.

"The Rings don't work with anyone else." Gi said. "We've proven that. Ma-Ti is, in many ways, the heart of this Team. Without him, we cannot function. Without that Ring, _he_ cannot function. Please, try to understand that."

"The first thing Ma-Ti did with this ring was brainwash his family into letting him go." Milena snapped. "How can we get over that?"

"Mrs Costa," Wheeler said suddenly, Alana translating. "Ma-Ti is my friend. I've done my best to keep an eye on him, and make sure he takes care of himself. When I see him going too far, I do my best to reign him in. Ma-Ti told me once that he hated his personality back before the Ring. He was a good kid, and he wasn't unhappy with you, but he wanted to stand up to those bullies. He wanted to protect his jungle, and he wanted to be able to tell tourists what it was about his home and his homeland that he loved. He told me that he never did. He never had the nerve to speak, when poachers came he ran away."

"That's what he's supposed to do!" Leandro snapped. "Men with guns are not to be taken lightly."

"Neither are we." Wheeler said simply. "Leandro, you've lived in the Amazon, you have to know it's dying, slice by slice. Your son is one of the few people who can save it. Is there nothing in you that wants to hand him the ring and tell him 'Good Luck'?"

"We want you to succeed, we just wish it was an honor somebody else's teenage son could have." Milena said. "Is there no way to make this work without him?"

"It takes five steps to have a _conversation_ without Ma-Ti." Linka argued. "We need him, plain and simple."

"We can keep him level, we can try and make things right, but the only way we can do better, is if you let us do anything at all."

Silence.

"Ma-Ti isn't back to normal with the Ring gone. He's... It's like losing one of his senses. Its happened before, and it terrifies him more than anything we've ever faced. He did it voluntarily now to try and show you..." Gi didn't bother finishing the sentence.

Milena finally cracked, and reached out, grabbing the ring off her husband. He didn't try to stop her.

* * *

There was silence on the other side of the radio, and the lot of them looked at each other awkwardly. "What's happening over there?" Kwame whispered to himself.

"I don't know." Wheeler answered absently.

Beat.

Kwame and Wheeler looked at each other. And grinned.

A few moments later, the radio crackled again. "It's me." Ma-Ti said happily. "We're coming back."

* * *

It took them a while to get back. The ATV was solar charged, and the batteries had gone flat. The three of them walked it back; JJ, Gi and Ma-Ti.

The others were very glad to see them coming. Kwame met Gi with a warm hug, much to her delight, and Ma-Ti almost ran up to Wheeler.

"I did it." Ma-Ti said happily. "It was the scariest thing, and I did it, because it was right. I did the right things, and it cost me everything, and I had no idea if it would ever work out, and I didn't even hesitate." Ma-Ti's smile was openly relieved. "I'm not the bad guy."

Wheeler looked at JJ, who gave him thumbs up. "Neither am I. Or any of us. I'm proud of you." Wheeler looked up and saw JJ coming with a broad smile, and he pointed at his little brother. "This is what JJ was supposed to tell us."

Ma-Ti agreed. "That's why it had to come fro outside the group. We all hit shatterpoint this week Wheeler. The point when the forming cracks become big enough or widespread enough to take the whole apart. We were this close to coming apart, and now..."

"And now we're not." Kwame said seriously.

His voice was loud enough that everyone looked over to see what he was saying. Kwame spoke to them all. He was calm, he was focused, he was kind. His tone was irrefutable, like he was talking about an absolute certainty. "We've been having a bad week. Nobody has ever done anything like this before, and probably never will again. It's only natural that we're going to make mistakes, and that we're going to lose faith. Well... that's fine. When you can do the things we can do, it's probably good to have doubts. Monsters and madmen never question themselves. We are neither. But it's time to get back in the game. We've escape our enemies, we've retreated to a safe place, we've taken some time, and we've faced up to our fears. Now it's decision time."

"We still can't clear our names over The Reclaimer. Or the death of Elias Levinson and Officer Hertz." Wheeler pointed out.

"True, but we are five against the world." Ma-Ti said. "If we stop to argue everything false that they say about us, it'll take too long. And I doubt we'll be able to convince anyone anyway."

"It shouldn't be what we do anyway." Linka piped up. "We weren't given these powers to make Hope Island and then live here in Exile."

"So." Gi said. "If we're not going to fight the charges, and if we're not going to get sidetracked, and we're not going to go into hiding here on Hope Island... What do we do?"

Silence.

"We finish what we started." Ma-Ti said calmly.

Silence.

"Ma-Ti is right." Kwame said seriously. "When we first met, the earth itself brought us together and begged us to save her. And this week, for one reason or another, each and every one of us were about to say no."

Heavy silence. The others all looked at each other, knowing he was right.

"We have lost our way lately." Kwame said simply. "We've been stressing about what others say, and how things would look, and attending Gala's and Grand Openings. We weren't chosen to be celebrities. We were given a Mission. One that goes beyond laws and countries. We have been distracted. What we do now, is continue our mission. We aren't cops, we're Planeteers. Now we get back to work."

His voice had taken on a ringing note of reason and command. He was not judging, not accusing, just stating the fact, just having the quiet authority of one who spoke the truth. And The Planeteers were stirring, their shoulders straightening, their chins lifting.

"We've been reacting, when we should have been acting. We started this crusade without having police backup, or Press Agents. We took out the Rig without worrying about what people would think of us, or who would respond. We did it because that was our Mission. And our Mission isn't over yet." Kwame kept going. His voice had grown stronger, more powerful. It was a call to arms. "So. Now we all have a choice to make. We can just stay here on Hope Island, wait out whatever comes next. Nobody's going to bother coming after us, and if they did we could fight them off if they come all that way. But that means we've officially retired from Gaia's service. It would mean that the Planeteers have disbanded. Option two: We keep going. It'll be harder, but we always knew it was going to get worse before it got better. We figure out our next Mission, we're go somewhere and complete it; and then we come back to Hope Island and do it again." He looked at them, one by one. "It's going to be the decision that defines our future. So the choice is yours. I plan to keep going."

Linka stood. "Me too."

Gi rose, eyes down. "I can't pretend I'm willing to let things go back to the way they were before. I'm with you."

Ma-Ti blinked when he realized everyone was looking at him. "You have to ask?"

Wheeler grinned maniacally. "Hell, you dummies will be chalk outlines without me!"

Kwame nodded. "Planeteers…" He said, with pure determination on his face. "We've got work to do."


	8. We're Back

The energy of the people on Hope Island had changed dramatically. Alana and Ruby could feel it. Gi's parents hadn't seen their daughter all afternoon, though they hadn't realized it at first as they were setting up their houseboat. Something had changed overnight to turn their assorted family from a despondent and uncertain group into a strategic unit ready for a counter-attack.

The Planeteers were gearing up, getting ready. Gi was working the Geo-Cruiser, preparing it for another long flight. Linka and Wheeler were organizing maps, surfing the internet for photos of oil spills, logging operations. Kwame and Ma-Ti were doing the same and adding poachers, animal traders... The list grew and grew.

Kwame was spending more time in the communications tent. Originally, it was a mobile tent set up by the Navy when they'd first settled the island. It held the communications gear, and a few topographical maps of the Island, and had become the closest thing to a command center that the Planeteers had, as they did most of their planning at the table during meals. The Tent was where they spoke to the outside world.

Alana came into the tent with a determined stride as she searched for the Leader of the group. "Kwame."

"Alana." Kwame didn't look up.

The old woman smiled at the huge world map on the wall. He had drawn a series of lines, that drew from one point to the next to the next in a big circuit from Hope Island and back again. There were several such lines drawn in multicolored pen. Alana sent a glance at the lists of targets, and saw some of them underlined in the same colors. They had been figuring out how they could hit as many targets on one trip as they could. "Well." She said. "Glad to see we've developed a little clarity at last."

"Good to _have_ some clarity at last." Kwame agreed. "Wheeler and Linka have started a pool on which Mission Circuit we follow first. You want a piece of the action?"

"When you came back to Hope Island, I asked you a question, and you didn't have an answer for me. So, now I'll ask you again." Alana said. "What are you going to do?"

"Whatever we have to." Kwame said with determination. "Our work is not done yet."

Alana looked hard at Kwame. "My husband, may he rest in peace, once said the same." She looked shrewdly at Kwame. "My husband was killed in pursuit of his great noble cause. My grand-daughter is now a part of yours. Are you willing to go as far as he did, and drag my Linka along for the ride? The people who killed my husband had resources and cunning. The Corporation has more resources than anyone else in history, and more support from the people who are hunting you. Are you willing to take it as far as they are?"

Kwame took in a long slow breath at the question, wishing he felt better about the answer. "If you had asked me that a week ago… I would have been unsure. I don't have that problem any more."

* * *

Bligh came swiftly back into Stumm's office. "There's someone else there."

Stumm looked up, and Bligh jumped back. His eyes had changed. They were dark black.

"W..." Bligh took a breath. "Weren't your eyes green?"

Stumm smiled thinly. It was unsettling. Those dark eyes dissected her and left her stripped bare. "Someone else was there?"

Bligh remembered. "Oh yes, somebody else is on Hope Island. There was a boat on the far side from their set-up that wasn't there yesterday."

"Government? Scientific? Law-Enforcement?"

"None of the above. It's a private boat. But a very expensive one. The Corporation has a lot of production holdings in the private sector for shipyards, so we can effectively find any ship that can float. We tracked the registry, it was faked. We can figure out where the money came from, but that'll take a while."

Stumm turned to the window and looked out over the City. "Their benefactor. The one tipping them off."

"If he's giving them another tip, or an assignment... Do we stop them?"

Stumm was silent a moment. "No. Let them come back. And... see to it that the Powers That Be lose track of them for a while."

Bligh was stunned. "Why?"

"Because whatever they're up to; they are still fugitives. And whoever's tipping them off, he is involved. If he's helping them, he's our enemy. We'll let the Planeteers flush him out for us."

"Aren't the Planeteers more important?" Bligh demanded.

Stumm smiled, powerful and confident. "Bligh, the game we're playing is longer than you think. The Planeteers are useful, and powerful. We can afford to let them have a few good days. Whatever they do can only work out for us. If they manage to clear their names, we'll profit. If they manage to save the world, we'll own everything they fix. If they come after us, we'll end them."

Bligh nodded in swift realisation. "This was never about the Planeteers was it? Then why put the reward up?"

"To get them away from here. Back to Hope Island, where it would be very difficult for them to talk to anyone. I did that because someone is tipping them off. Someone who knew what we were doing at the Reclaimer talked. Someone who also tipped them off about our agents posing as police officers. The Reclaimer Project was in the works long before The Planeteers existed. Shocking as it may seem, The Corporation has many plans that do not involve five specific young people. I do have a world to run. But if someone is leaking things I deem secret, then I have no trouble using the Planeteers to find him for me."

"How will they do that?"

"Two possibilities. Either they will investigate who is tipping him off, or their mysterious benefactor will approach them."

* * *

Kwame had gone to his house to get a change of clothes, in preparation for their trip, when He heard Gi calling. He made his way to the communications tent quickly. "You wanted me?"

"Always, but we don't have time for that right now." Gi quipped lightly, holding the microphone out to him. "We have a call from Linka's parents. They want to talk to you."

Kwame took the microphone. "Agents Petrova. It's good to hear from you! We were worried when we couldn't find you."

"At this point, Kwame; it's best that you be unable to find us. They've been keeping an eye on anyone connected to you. You guys are the biggest celebrities ever to be wanted by the law; so everyone's hoping to be the one that catches you. I'm sure it's clear to you by now that the false charges against you have been in the works for some time. This little character assassination was long planned."

Kwame nodded, though they couldn't see it. "We've come to the same conclusion."

"Interpol has been all over this, trying to figure out what to do with you if you ever leave the Island. We've got camera footage from all over New York City of you guys and the path you took after the Reclaimer explosion. There is however, a few minutes that remain a mystery. After you returned to New York, you made your way to a set of payphones, is this true?"

Kwame answered. "Yes. But... we didn't make a call. Somebody called _us_ on those phones."

Gi leaned forward and spoke too. "But we were on camera. There was one pointing right at us. We think whoever was calling us was watching."

"Well if he was, then that might explain why the footage of those few minutes was missing. It was not recorded by the usual feed. Someone broke in and used the city cameras to get a look at you, and then a public payphone to talk to you. What did they say?"

"They told us not to go back to anywhere we'd been before. We don't know who it was."

"We ran the phone records for that few minutes, in case it was just a camera glitch. Two payphones next to each other, each logged an incoming call. The Phone number was a pre-paid cell, no way to know who it was."

"Do you have the number?"

"555-6983. We already called it, not in service. Odds are the cell phone has already been destroyed."

Gi jotted it down anyway. "There's no such thing as a useless fact."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

In a remarkable turnaround from the last poll taken two weeks ago, the controversial Reclaimer Bill was passed this morning in New York, making New York State the first to enforce by law the need to recycle in all businesses.

The last poll taken two weeks ago suggested that the new law would fail, and analysts have suggested that the sudden turnaround came as a result of the now infamous Reclaimer incident, and the strong show of sympathy and support to the Corporation's new line of Eco-Tech facilities.

Ironically, this news comes as a huge blow to the one man who has been the loudest voice in favor of it, New York's Assistant DA. Mr Holland was running for Congress on a Green Platform, and the expected failure of this bill would have been a huge boost to his message as Election Day approaches.

Holland had this to say as he left the Reclaimer Inquiry this afternoon…

"I wanted the people of New York to have a brighter future, and that has been achieved, but I am not a one issue candidate, and there is plenty of work yet to be done. I will not compromise my views or my campaign schedule, not on this matter, and not on the Reclaimer investigation."

The refusal to compromise that he referred to, was his continuing refusal to name the Planeteers as the guilty party, or even the likely suspects. Even as the evidence against them now appears airtight, the DA refuses to make it official, saying simply that he 'is waiting for the truth to come out, because sooner or later it always does.'

With his key Campaign promise now granted without him, and public pressure mounting for him to take action against the Planeteers, many are wondering if perhaps the investigation into the Reclaimer explosion may have cost him his career…

* * *

"So. We've been on this Island three weeks. It's been good for us. We've all been going so fast that we finally crashed. We needed this. But we still have a mission to accomplish." Kwame said. "I hope you all enjoyed the holiday, because as of now, we're back at work."

"What's our next Mission?" Wheeler asked.

"That's why we're here. There are plenty of choices. Gi?"

"First one I want to suggest is the Ecuadorian Amazon." Gi said. "The oil companies have torn up the jungle for an oil well, and it's effectively a disaster area that makes the Exxon Valdez look like a joke."

"The Texaco place?" Ma-Ti said. "I know it. It displaced a lot of people. There's a huge public health crisis, has been for decades, and the infrastructure can't handle it."

"The locals were displaced by the 18 billion gallons of waste dumped into the rivers and streams. It's the only water supply that people have in that part of the country, and the toxic waste from production is left in almost a thousand open air waste pits."

"This makes no sense." Linka said. "If it's causing such huge problems, then why hasn't somebody done something? That plant has been there since the sixties."

"Correct." Gi said. "The place was opened by Texaco in 1964, but Texaco was bought out by Chevron in 2001. Chevron is insisting that they shouldn't clean it up because the last owners made the mess."

"They're not wrong." Wheeler said. "I remember seeing this on TV once. Texaco deliberately used obsolete equipment and virtually ignored all the standards that they would be required to meet in the United States to save money. But Chevron hasn't cleaned any of it up."

"The first lawsuit came in 1993, then another in 2003." Gi read from her notes. "And while the lawyers duke it out as they have for years, the plant is still open, the jungle keeps rotting, and people keep dying."

Wheeler spoke up. "Guys, this may be a stupid thing to say..."

"Perish the thought." Linka said blandly.

"...but that plant is legal, if disgusting. We hit it, and we're actually going to be what they're accusing us of being."

Kwame shrugged. "Wheeler, I would have preferred to do this completely honest too, but we played the game fair, and look what happened. The gloves are off, and it wasn't done by us. This was a line I didn't want to cross, but it's been crossed already, and against our will, and without us doing anything." He looked them over. "Anyone want to argue with that point?"

"Want to? Sure. Can I? No."

"The gloves are off, and the next move is ours." Kwame summed up. "Let's make it a good one."

The Planeteers nodded.

"Now, as to the matter of getting there, we're going to be on the run the whole way." Kwame moved on. "When we get back to civilization, we'll be marked for arrest."

"So we have to pick our moment. We don't want to be out there any longer than we need to be; which means we strike as soon as we arrive." Wheeler agreed.

"We want to hit the plant after dark when there are fewer people? We have to leave at the right time." Gi did the math. "We should leave late morning here, be in the dark as long as we can be on the other end."

Kwame nodded. "We leave tomorrow morning. Everyone get a good night's sleep."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

With reconstruction on perfect schedule, the Reclaimer is already working in an extremely limited capacity. A spokesman for the factory has announced that several of New York's major chain stores are bidding for position in an extremely limited list before the reconstruction is complete. The highest bids are having their battery sludge collected already, and the bidders are being rewarded with premium contracts for future use.

The Corporation released a statement assuring the public that the full profit of these bids would be put into the repairs, and to the construction of similar Reclaimer facilities across the United States.

Activists and environmental groups have praised the Corporation for it's commitment to the new Recycling technology, and have pledged their full support to helping all businesses take advantage of the new green solutions.

* * *

The next morning, the Planeteers all came out early. Breakfast was quiet, nobody saying what was really on their minds. They spoke briefly about what they planned to do, and Gi outlined a few ways their powers could make the problems worse.

They retreated to their homes one last time to change clothes, decide what to take with them, have words with their families...

Linka and Wheeler were effectively neighbors, and hadn't spoken a word to each other since the night before.

"Kwame's right, y'know." Linka said simply as they left their small homes for the Geo-Cruiser, picking up the previous night's conversation as though no time had passed.. "We didn't do this, they did. We're just playing by the rules they set."

"A nice guy would say that we should strive to be better than that."

"And you?" Linka quipped. "What are you saying?"

"I think... It's a gift." Wheeler said. "I told you guys when this started that this would happen, now its happening. We can trip over ourselves trying to get back to where we were last month but... I wonder if maybe it isn't best to take advantage of it. We've got permission to go all out now, because everyone thinks we already have."

Linka grinned. It was a predatory little smirk.

"You don't have to be so eager about this, y'know." Wheeler told her.

"You don't have to be reluctant. Not any more anyway. Are you up for this?" Linka asked. "Ever since the photos, we've been waiting for you to pull your head out of your-"

"Very funny. But what about you?" Wheeler said, and fired back. "Last time we were away from this island, you freaked out because of one kiss from me. You think you've got it in you to go head to head with the whole world?"

"It takes more than a clumsy come on from you to rattle me, Yankee."

"History suggests otherwise." Wheeler shot back.

Linka looked at him, set her jaw, marched two feet forward and kissed him powerfully. He had absolutely no trouble returning it. The kiss lasted long enough, grew passionate enough that Wheeler could hear fire bursting into life in the air around them, being blown out instantly by brief gusts of chaotic wind.

Seconds passed, and they released each other at the same time, without pulling away.

"Still think I'm all shocked and shaken?" Linka asked him coolly.

"Not sure. Maybe if we tested the theory again a few times..." Wheeler drawled.

"Oh, by the way." Linka said archly. "I heard what JJ said about how we aren't Fire and Wind; we're Fire and Ice. You know what you get when you mix Fire and Ice?"

Wheeler licked his lips. "Steam."

Linka swatted him lightly, and pulled away. "You get a slushy mess. Let's go hunting."

"Behind you every step of the way, babe."

"Eyes a little higher, Yankee."

* * *

The Planeteers strapped themselves into the Geo-Cruiser, ready to go, when the phone started ringing.

For a moment, everyone froze. They didn't know how many people had the number for the Geo-Cruiser's phone line, but it was the first time somebody had contacted them since they had made their escape.

Gi checked the screen and froze. "555-6983." She told Kwame.

"What?" Wheeler asked in confusion from the back seat.

"That's the number that called us, warned us about going home." Gi looked to Kwame. "Do we answer it?"

"We do, they could trace it." Wheeler put in from the back seat.

"They trace it now, they'll find us on the coast of Hope Island. What does that give them?" Kwame returned reasonably. "Gi, put it on speaker."

Gi did so.

"Who is this please?" Kwame asked.

"Call me Digger." The answer came. "My employer wants to speak to you immediately. Face to Face."

"Where?"

"On the western side of Hope Island." The line disconnected without another word.

For a long moment, they all just stared at each other.

"All right." Kwame said. "The mission is on hold temporarily. We've got our next stop."

"Much closer than usual." Wheeler quipped. "But I tell you one thing, that wasn't the voice that warned us about going home. That guy sounded like he had a mouthful of marbles."

"It's the same number." Kwame returned. "And if he has information about what's happening, and how we can stop it, I'm willing to hear him out."

"Do we walk, or take the Glider?" Linka asked.

"Glider would be faster." Kwame said. "Whatever they're doing over there, it's the first time that we know about when we've had uninvited guests."

"And the less time someone is on our Island without us, the better." Gi agreed.

The proximity rattled them. Hope Island was isolated, concealed, far away from the world and it's weapons. But it was a huge land mass, and they were only five. Even now, they were planning to be away from the Island… The notion that somebody had landed there without them knowing was jarring. Even a little frightening with their families so close by.

* * *

"They must have arrived when I was... without my Ring." Ma-Ti said softly. "There are people on board, but not as many as there could be. One of them seems familiar... but different somehow."

The Planeteers did a long slow circle of the western side of the Island in their Geo-Cruiser, and fond a huge yacht, looking like something a billionaire would tour the globe in. It had to be at least 200ft long, and was at least three levels tall. It was long and sleek and shiny, and it was parked off the coast of the Island, with a smaller launch at the water's edge.

Someone was on the beach, and he was waving up at them.

"Ma-Ti?"

"No weapons, no hostility. It feels like what Stumm did back in Alaska."

"Maybe it _is_ Stumm." Linka suggested. "Or at least someone who works for him."

"Well, we won't find out up here." Kwame said. "Gi, land us somewhere on the water, closer to the Yacht."

The man on the beach saw them coming in, and quickly returned to his small boat, bringing it back out onto the water. By the time the Geo-Cruiser came to a halt, and the hatch opened, he had brought the launch around to ferry them onto the Yacht.

"Good afternoon." He called in to them.

"Who are you, sir?" Kwame asked politely, trying to get a read on the situation.

"Call me Digger. Again." The man said easily. "Gotta say, this is a first. He's never taken on passengers before. We're all a little excited here."

"Glad we could help." Wheeler said dryly. "What can you tell us before we go in?"

Digger shook his head. "I really shouldn't."

"Oh, come on. You'd be giving us an edge of two minutes, at best."

"The boss likes to discourage showing initiative." Digger explained. "He doesn't like his people thinking."

* * *

They were brought onto the boat, and taken below decks. The whole thing was richly furnished, full of luxury and extravagance. The rules were a little different on a boat, but showing off wealth was the same wherever you went.

But under it all, past the ocean, and the expensive leather, and the faint scent of incense, was the clear smell of antiseptic. It smelled like a hospital room.

And as they came below decks into the living quarters, they quickly understood why.

Where they expecting to find a four poster bed, they instead found something like an adjustable hospital gurney, only larger and far plusher. A row of expensive electronic equipment lined the opposite wall, and beside the wet-bar was a row of hospital machines. Heart Rate monitor, respirator, IV line...

There were one or two people about, mostly medical personnel. They tried not to look, but they were all peeking glances at the five world-known superstars that had come on board.

And in the bed was their host. His skin was seared; every part of him that they could see was covered in horrible burn marks that were barely healing, his hair burned away. He was wearing a soft purple robe instead of a hospital gown, and he glared at them from the one eye that wasn't covered with an eye patch.

"It's about time you got here." Graveled his hoarse fire-scarred voice, and then they knew exactly who it was.

"Devorux." Linka breathed.

"In the flesh." He growled back. "What's left of it anyway."

Devorux had been captain and designer of the illegal oil Rig. He and Bligh had captured them, discovered the value of the Rings, and nearly torn the five of them limb from limb trying to unlock the powers they held.

Wheeler had torched him during their escape, and they believed him long dead. From the look of things, he would have been luckier if he was.

"I had Digger extend the invitation, as I knew you may have trouble with meeting me on a boat," Devorux said with grim irony.

"You could have invited us to meet wherever you're living now." Kwame pointed out.

"I live here." Devorux explained. "It's quite simple really. If I unplug from these Machines for too long, the damage your chief fire-bug did to my lungs will kill me... and in my current situation, I find it best to keep... Mobile. When you're Bed-Ridden, there's only one or two ways to do that." He turned to the other people in the room. "Out. Everyone out. You too, Digger."

The crew, the nurses, the assistants all left immediately, closing the door behind them, leaving their host and master alone with the Planeteers.

"How are you alive?" Wheeler demanded. "I mean, I use the word 'alive' advisedly. You went and got yourself pretty hideous. We saw the Rig blow."

"You also saw, I have no doubt, my Security chief Ms Bligh taking off with her people." He gestured to Digger. "I keep my enemies close, and a few friends closer. Just in case. One helicopter goes the other direction, and Bligh was a little busy undergoing emergency CPR to notice." He turned his eye to Linka. "Have you missed me, gorgeous?"

The way he looked at her made Linka shudder. She felt Wheeler move behind her, stepping closer to her side.

Devorux grinned horribly and waved it off. "Relax. I can't stand the sight of myself, let alone you. But that'll change." He gave Linka and chilling look. "Business before... pleasures."

Linka didn't even shudder a little bit the second time around. "Hey Captain. **Fire**." She snarled, cool and deadly.

Devorux jerked in fear for a moment, and the heart rate monitor spiked. It lasted half a second before Devorux remembered which Planeteer had the powers to torch him. Wheeler stepped a little closer to Linka again.

Kwame got to the point. "Why would you tip us off? I can't believe you're on our side."

"It took me a while to see the whole board. That was Bligh's talent... And it seems to have paid off for her." Devorux lifted a hand slowly and waved at the television. "I've spent the last six months figuring it out. It was a masterpiece of deception. Stumm gets Bligh to gather evidence for him. He gets you to expose me, which he uses to seize power. He promotes Bligh in return, and he gives you the credit, which neatly neutralizes anything you could do against him. It was a master-stroke. In fact, it was such a good plan, that I decided to do the same thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, money can get you any number of things, including a new face, a new pair of lungs..." Devorux explained. "But the Rig was a Kite Project. Cut the string and it just vanishes into the clear blue sky, never to be seen again."

"And you were the Captain."

"Captain, and designer." Devorux graveled. "The Rig was my creation, my idea. If they had to disappear the project... They had to disappear me too. That included my accounts, my contacts... If I'm ever going to leave this bed, I have to remove Bligh and Stumm."

"And for that, you need us."

"I have nobody else."

Silence.

"What do you have?" Kwame asked.

"If you've been following the Court Hearings into the Reclaimer blast, you'll know that the Assistant DA, Mr Holland, is taking the public story apart. Holland is running for Congress this month, and he'll win."

"Last I heard of Holland, he was running a distant second. His opponent had The Corporation as financial backers." Kwame countered.

"Holland has a new contributor. It's a shell company owned by a subsidiary of The Corporation."

"Stumm donated to both candidates?"

"Either way, he wins. Holland's campaign promises include environmental reform. Including making it mandatory for all large businesses to increase recycling. This includes..."

"Batteries." Gi finished for him. "Stumm is backing Holland so that businesses are required by law to recycle their batteries, and since the Reclaimer is the only battery recycling technology out there, Stumm can force every business in the country to pay large fees for recycling their used batteries once the laws are changed by Holland."

"So why is this a problem for us?" Linka asked. "We aren't in this for the money. We've told you... _I_ told you that, over and over. Stumm's a shady businessman, but..."

"The Rig was a secret project." Devorux said, wheezing while he spoke. "By now, it should be clear to you that 'Secret' in the Corporation, is code for 'illegal'. But the Rig wasn't the only 'Secret' Project they had going."

Beat.

"That's it! Of course!" Gi snapped her fingers. "We could never figure out how the Reclaimer worked, because it never did! It's a fake!"

"Miss Takashi, to the head of the class." Devorux grinned satanically. "Recycling battery sludge... never worked. Can't be done. At least not in any way we've come up with. So we decided not to bother."

"So The Reclaimer takes all this stuff and... what?"

"Crushes it, stores it, dumps it; who knows, and who cares?" Devorux said easily. "There are a thousand places you can get rid of toxic waste."

"Where's it being dumped?"

"Hard to tell. The Reclaimer is close to a number of places. Likely the river. The Hudson river in fact. You toss anything in there, and from there it goes out to sea. It would keep things hard to find. But the battery sludge contains the heavy metals and the acids, which inevitably leech into the water table, the wildlife, the harbor..."

"They can't possibly expect to get away with that."

"The EPA is supplied by a few Corporation subsidiaries, it's under the control of Government, most of whom get elected with Corporation campaign contributions... A word in the right ear and you can hide all sorts of things."

"Like they did with my father's Copper Mine." Kwame murmured.

"They did it in my home town too." Linka said quietly.

"While either of them were there." Devorux taunted. "That's what you get for spreading your magic around. But yeah, the tactic is the same. Someone who understands the... benefits of working with the Corporation lets them know when an inspection is coming, and you cook the books a little. The levels of carcinogenic toxins are all recorded by health and safety groups, but the numbers on how many toxins there are in the dump sites... are changed."

"By how much?" Gi asked.

"Lots." Devorux said simply.

Gi rocked back on her heels. "So, the Reclaimer isn't committing fraud, so much as it's..."

"Causing cancer." Devorux finished. "If anyone notices the sudden increase in cancer victims, there'll still be nothing that can lead back to the Reclaimer. Trust me. We… _they_ are very good at this."

"How does exposing the Reclaimer remove Stumm?"

"It won't." Devorux said. "You cannot attack this enemy from the outside. You need to get your enemies to remove each other. The Reclaimer was an idea we were kicking around back where I was working in Special Projects. Bligh was consulted strongly on it, and several others. If you can expose the Reclaimer, then Stumm will have to cut Bligh loose. She's too dangerous to be taken by surprise. _She'll_ hang Stumm out to dry."

Wheeler smirked. "Can I assume that this has nothing to do with the fact that Bligh screwed you over and you want revenge?"

Devorux sighed. A deep breath that sounded like a wet growl. "I would like to strangle that two-faced bitch, but I have very little strength in my fingers left. That's because of you, Brooklyn. Having you take Bligh down _for_ me is an irony that I can console myself with." He waved at the screens again. "I have been following your careers with great interest. You've been on the run for three weeks. I've been on the run for six months. I want my face back." He started to drift, losing focus. "I want my things back. I want..." He had passed out mid-word.

The Planeteers were almost feeling a moment of sympathy for him. Almost.

Digger came back in as the sounds of the monitors changed, and a small army of nurses crowded in to get to Devorux, and the many machines that crowded him. "Excuse us, we need to take care of him here."

The Planeteers were all too happy to be away from him, and stepped outside of the room to the back of the yacht.

* * *

It all made sense now, the fake trial, the mystery of why Bligh had sabotaged a factory that didn't work anyway, and why the Planeteers were being protected. Devorux was keeping the Planeteers hidden from Stumm.

After everyone took a moment to sort it out in their minds, they turned to each other. Just because they understood the rules didn't mean they were suddenly wining the game.

"So. What do we think?" Kwame asked.

"I think his face finally matches his soul." Wheeler snarked.

"About the mission." Kwame clarified.

"If we go back and take out the Reclaimer, we'll just be making things harder for ourselves." Gi said. "If we want to clear our names..."

"It doesn't matter." Linka said suddenly. "The Reclaimer is pouring carcinogens into the water and air, and nobody is able or willing to stop them like we are. We have to get back there and stop it, regardless of how it looks."

"Agreed." Kwame said. "I take the point, Gi; but this is the point of the Planeteers. We do things that nobody else can."

"What if he's lying?" Wheeler said. "You honestly telling me you're willing to take Deverux at his word? He wants to take out his former masters, fine. But we did that for Stumm with Appius, and look where it got us? Linka's right, if this news is true, we have to do something, but if he's lying to us…"

Kwame nodded. "Then lets find out."

* * *

"We tracked the registry." Bligh said. "The boat was purchased under an assumed name, but the money came from one of our hidden accounts."

"One of ours." Stumm said, as though he'd just found the solution to a difficult puzzle at last.

"I don't have to tell you how well we hide money." Bligh said plainly. "One of our departments has bought a boat, and done so in such a way that nobody would notice."

"Which Department?"

"Special Projects. Our prototype developers."

Stumm nodded. "Devorux old department."

"Devorux is dead." Bligh said quickly. "He was on the Rig when it blew."

Stumm nodded. "Hmm. Do a roll call for the department. Everyone who was there during Devorux's time, and still there now. Find out how many of them are actually at work today. The ones that aren't, track them down. The one you can't find... that'll be the one tipping the Planeteers off. Track him down; and he'll lead you to the Leak. But don't move on him till after the Planeteers are well away from him. Ma-Ti will know otherwise."

Bligh blinked. "And… how do you know that Ma-Ti would be able to tell when we follow them? How do you understand their powers like this?"

"I know." Stumm said. "Let's leave it at that."

* * *

"Linka..." Agent Petrova said patiently over the radio. "The Corporation has... Influence. If what you're saying is true, then proving it will be next to impossible. There have been checks and re-checks all across the line, from mid-construction, to the moment The Reclaimer opened."

"None of which would have shown anything." Linka put in.

"Linka, the Corporation has done this before, they did it with your hometown, they did it with the Rig... We find a bad guy, and all the other bad guys can pin ten criminals worth of illegal actions on the one guy we find, so nine out of ten get away with it, or somebody on the take makes a phone-call, and they _all_ get away with it. They never lose Linka. They've been doing this too long and too well, they never lose. They always win."

"You and dad could get another test done." Linka said carefully.

"Yes, we could." Her mother said. "But... what would be the point? It takes a day to organize an unannounced inspection. It takes three seconds for someone who finds out about it to make a phone-call."

Kwame leaned forward. "If the Reclaimer was destroyed suddenly... Then there would be emergency crews all over the place... they would be checking for chemical spills as they went, right?"

It was such an unexpected direction, from such an unexpected quarter, that everyone stared at Kwame in disbelief.

Long silence on the other end of the phone.

"Right." The Interpol Agent said finally.

"Then be ready." Kwame said, calm and collected. Strong, clear focus.

* * *

JJ came in as Wheeler was packing. "Wheels?" He said. "When you guys head back to the States... you'll be going for the Reclaimer right?"

"Right."

"Take me with you."

Wheeler spun. "What?"

"Not to the battle, just back to the States." JJ explained.

Wheeler was stunned. "I thought you wanted to stay here. JJ, you've been after this like a dog with a bone for months now. And you made it, you're here... Why?" He struggled for words for a second. "Is… is it about the girl?"

"Emily?" JJ seemed surprised, then a little troubled. "Jeez. I haven't even thought about her since… since the Cave." JJ looked up at his brother. "Wheeler, you never asked me... what I saw in the Crystal Cave."

Wheeler blinked. "What did you see?"

"I saw you. Sort of. It's hard to explain. It's like, I was watching you guys, drawn in things from the earth." He struggled for words for a second. "I don't know if that makes sense."

"She showed us something like that." Wheeler offered. "She showed us... concepts. Power, variety, partnership... She showed us what people made that demonstrated them, and then what was here before any of that... It was... incredible."

"I saw something similar." JJ agreed. "She showed me... what you needed. And I... I helped."

Wheeler nodded. "You helped a lot."

JJ nodded. "So... now that my part is done... It's starting to slip away. Just same old JJ again."

Wheeler looked at him levelly. "That's not such a bad thing."

"I know. But it's like... it's like Lord of the Rings." JJ struggled to make sense. "When the great quest was done, the hardest thing was just to settle back into a regular life. Wheels, I feel like I have more to do, but not here. Not any more."

Wheeler blinked. "The Foundation?"

"I want to get it going again. If I have to go it alone, I will. But if I can find the others... maybe they were scared, but I know they liked doing it. Then there's Avery and the World-Watchers..."

Wheeler nodded. "JJ, if this battle goes badly... We do this wrong, and we're going to get into a showdown with police, maybe the military if they see us coming... If we win, we'll still be fugitives. If we lose... well, I don't know. But we probably won't be back for round two, at least not for fifteen to twenty. We'll need people to finish what we started."

JJ nodded. "That's me..." JJ rubbed his eyes. "It would be very easy... to hate Gaia."

Wheeler blinked. "Why?"

"Because now that I've done what she needed me to do... Wheels, it's going away. I can't see it as clearly as I did..."

"Just same old JJ huh?"

JJ nodded. He looked weak in the knees. "Guess so." He sniffed. "But... I haven't forgot the feeling. That feeling of... of making everything new but still the same. You look online, there are these artists, who can dream up skyscrapers, whole cities of the future, and they look so fresh and clean and amazing..."

Wheeler smiled. "JJ, don't ever lose that feeling. Not ever. When I was at College, there was a guy in my class... We were out drinking one night, and he went up to total strangers the entire night. He was eighteen years old, and he was asking total strangers if they remembered what it was like to be optimistic about the future. I don't know what freaked me out more; the fact that he asked the question, or the fact that everyone he talked to knew exactly what he meant."

JJ nodded. "Yeah. The future ain't what it used to be."

Wheeler looked out at the Geo-Cruiser. "We're at war with despair about things to come JJ, and we haven't been doing real well this week. Progress is good, actual achievement is better, and we may not make it to the next round. If we don't... there's nobody left who's seen what we've seen, who've spoken to Gaia like we have..." He looked to his brother. The implication was obvious.

"There's me." JJ said in a small voice.

Wheeler grasped his shoulder, giving strength and support. "Yes, there is."

JJ nodded, an oath sworn to his brother. "I promise. I'll make them hear you."

* * *

Bligh came into Stumm's office, eyes hard. "They're loose. The Planeteers left Hope Island this morning,"

"Where are they headed?" Stumm asked bluntly.

"Hard to tell, but their flight plan is the same one they took when they last flew to New York."

Stumm barely blinked. "The Reclaimer."

"Why would they come back to the Reclaimer?" Bligh asked. "They have to know they won't find anything there that can clear them."

Stumm seemed unconcerned. "What did you find out about that boat?"

"We tracked the department employees. We can't find one. He was a special assistant to Devorux back in the day."

Stumm thought for a moment. "Digger? Yes, that makes sense... Track Digger's movements since the Rig was destroyed. That Boat has to dock somewhere, if only to resupply. Find out where Digger has been working, if he's been shipping any supplies to various ports... Sooner or later, you'll catch that yacht before it can sail again."

Bligh nodded. "And the Planeteers?"

"Not our problem."

"If they hit the Reclaimer..."

"It's only good for us." Stumm waved that off. "Just the same, somebody should contact the local authorities. Let them know that there are some... wanted fugitives on the way."

* * *

Gi had tracked down a shipment of office furniture that was headed toward the Reclaimer, and the Planeteers had quietly taken a position on the road between New York and their destination.

JJ nodded and prepared to break from the others. "So. This is it. Be safe."

"You know where to go?" Wheeler answered. It was the closest thing to a goodbye that they would give each other.

JJ waved that off. "Don't worry about me Bro. I can smell the old neighborhood from here. I know my way home."

"Good luck JJ." Kwame told him. "For what it's worth, in the time you were with us, you may have been the only thing that kept the band together. Without that... Thank you."

Ma-Ti was next he and JJ just looked at each other for a while. Ma-Ti gave him a single nod, and that was it. Message sent; Message received.

The others all made their goodbyes, and JJ went down to the highway, walking alongside the road toward the distant skyscrapers of Manhattan.

Wheeler let out a breath. Kwame spoke first. "Okay. Let's roll."

* * *

Emily left the counter and found a place to sit down, balancing her coffee in one hand, and her backpack in the other. She sat down and pulled out her homework. She looked up to check on her order and nearly dropped her coffee cup. JJ was suddenly sitting across from her. He gave her a cheeky grin.

Emily let out a stunned breath in pure disbelief, before getting up and coming around the table to meet him in a tight hug. "My god, what the hell are you doing here, you crazy moron?" She hissed in his ear.

"And hello to you too." JJ chuckled. "Ordered yet?"

"Just now." Emily nodded

"Change your order to go." JJ said.

"Hold on, I'm not going anywhere with you!" Emily retorted. "The police came to my house! They questioned me and my dad for over an hour, and then they left me at the mercy of my father. He grilled me for another hour about you and your brother and those photos and whether or not I'll be in any soon. Then the police came back with more questions for my dad about what happened to our money. They wanted to know if dad had ever spoken to Ma-Ti!"

JJ sighed. "God, Emily, I'm sorry."

"There's surveillance on our school! They wanted to put a damn wiretap on my phone!" Emily hissed. "One slice with you, and I'm marked as a possible accessory to eco-terrorism!" She fixed him with a hard glare. "And where the hell have you _been_ the last week?"

"I wanted to call you." JJ said. But inwardly, he felt guilty more about the fact that he hadn't tried harder to reach her. He knew all the reasons, and he hadn't wanted to make things worse, so he hadn't broached it with his brother… And after the Crystal Cave, he barely remembered her until his mission was done.

"I'm glad you didn't. If you had, I would have let you have it." Emily snarled.

Heavy silence.

"I'm sorry." He said finally.

"I'll tell you when to start groveling." She interrupted. "You can start that after you catch me up on what's going on, because whatever it is, you obviously need my help."

JJ blinked. "What?"

"Well I can't very well leave you to handle it all by yourself now, can I?" She said, and he could tell she was smothering a smirk. "Facebook and Twitter are probably being watched, and if they wanted to tap my phone, they might be listening to Avery too."

"You know Avery?"

"The World Watchers have been trying to keep in touch since they shut down the Hall. They've been all over me too, wanting to know what we do now. They assumed you'd be contacting me sooner or later. Why the hell do you think I would keep coming back to our Pizza place? I _am_ Vegan after all, people are starting to talk."

"If you're Vegan, why are you drinking a latte? It's mostly milk."

Beat.

"If anyone asks, it's soy milk." Emily said defiantly.

JJ laughed. And so did she.

"So?" Emily pressed, though not even pretending to be angry any more. "Avery told us what happened. Where'd you go after that?"

"Hope Island." JJ said plainly.

"And now you're back."

"Yup."

Emily was silent a long moment. He could see the wheels turning in her head. "Well, unless you swam…" Emily's mouth shut with an audible click.

JJ nodded. _Yes_. He tried to tell her without saying anything. _They're back too._

"Let's go." Emily said finally. "Have you eaten?"

"I've been vegetarian for over a week."

Emily laughed. "I'll order you a meat-lovers to go."

JJ actually moaned. "Oh, this could be true love."

"JJ, I was kidding again, you can eat your blood soaked death slices later, right now we got things to do!" Emily told him. She noticed that her order was ready. "So let's go. If you want to reach the others, you'll need me to do it."

They got up and started walking. JJ pulled his sunglasses back on before they left the table, and they headed out into New York.

* * *

The Reclaimer was a fair way out of town. The Planeteers left the highway and headed toward the facility. The road after the turn off from the highway was deserted, with the Reclaimer the only thing on this road.

The Planeteers took up position, hidden on the side of the road. The stakeout lasted a good half hour. Gi climbed a tree to get a look ahead at the road.

"What are you thinking?" Linka asked Wheeler quietly.

Wheeler shook his head. "Nothing really. Just thinking about something JJ said. About how everything he saw in the Cave is fading away, now that his mission is done. I wonder if… I don't know when this ends, or how long it will take. But if we ever pull it off one day…"

"You wonder if it's all going to fade away from us too?"

"Maybe. But… that's tomorrow's problem."

Gi waved from up in the tree. "One's coming!"

* * *

The truck was carrying office supplies, replacing the things lost or ruined in the explosion. It came around the bend, and the driver paled.

Standing in the middle of the road, was Ma-Ti.

Even from twenty feet away, even while the truck was moving, Ma-Ti and the driver made eye contact, and his Ring started to glow brightly.


	9. CounterAttack

The driver had a vacant look on his face as he opened the back of the truck for them, and the five of them climbed in, before the truck started moving again.

"Will he remember us?" Kwame asked as they found things to hold onto.

"No." Ma-Ti assured him. "He won't even remember stopping."

"If we want to do this clean, we have to evacuate the workers, and that means shutting down all the security measures." Gi said. "The override for that would be in Ryerson's office."

"I'll take care of that." Linka said.

Kwame nodded. "I will sink the factory. Gi will make sure I don't destroy anything that would cause more harm than good. Linka and Ma-Ti will get the workers clear, Wheeler will make sure we don't get killed. Linka, when you're done in the office, help Wheeler."

They had gone over the plan a dozen times; but as they approached, it was good to hear someone say it again, clear and simple.

Ma-Ti suddenly looked to the side. "Problem."

"Problem?"

"Word is out that we're back. There are people surrounding the Reclaimer. Many of them. They are... watching for something."

"The police?"

"Maybe."

"Local police? Corporation security?"

"Could be." Ma-Ti said. "They have the Reclaimer surrounded."

The truck slowed to a halt.

Linka glanced at Kwame. "Do we fight our way through?"

The truck moved again, going forward for a few seconds, and then stopping again.

"Feels like the traffic is being stopped at a checkpoint. Which means the truck we're in is probably about to be searched."

Ma-Ti put a hand out. "I can handle it."

The truck rolled forward again, then stopped again. The back of the truck opened, and a guard was waiting, shining a torch in, playing it over them.

Ma-Ti lunged, like he was throwing a punch that stopped a few feet short of connecting. His Ring flashed like a strobe-light.

The guard's eyes didn't glaze, he didn't freeze, or stare like a zombie. He moved the torch back and forth, and shut the doors without hesitation. "Truck's clear, move it out."

Kwame and Ma-Ti traded a respectful nod.

The truck started rolling again, now inside the outer fence.

"All right, we're in." Kwame said. "The truck isn't full of cargo, so this one is coming back from delivering something."

"Probably taking the damaged stuff out." Wheeler commented. "They'll still be cleaning stuff up from the explosion."

"The truck will go to a garage or a loading dock, so hopefully, there's not going to be too many people around, but let's not take any chances. I'll slip out first, see if there's anyone about. If there is, we'll get out one at a time; we'll head for the nearest fire escape, and meet there."

The others nodded. The truck turned sharply, came to a halt, and then the engine stopped.

The sudden silence was jarring. They were effectively in a small room, in the middle of enemy territory, surrounded by opposition, hiding from them. The sudden quiet made them very aware of the fact that they were hiding.

They heard the driver moving, heard him walking past, and waited a little longer.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

We are getting unconfirmed reports that the Geo-Cruiser has been spotted in American airspace. As yet there has been no official comment on whether or not The Planeteers have returned to the US, or where on the East Coast they have landed, if at all.

Nevertheless, police presence has sharply increased at the Reclaimer facility, which began its work only two days ago…

* * *

JJ poked his head around the side of the wall and looked around. There was no sign of anyone, so he came into the park fully. The street park was one of the World Watcher's community projects. They'd turned this empty lot into a growing garden at the Planeteer Foundation, and Avery and his friends had made sure that the vandals didn't get to any of it. They were just one step short of being a gang again, but the people hunting his brother weren't here.

Emily came into the park to join him. An hour later, Avery came too, with his friends. Then others. The ones that had answered the call to join the hope Revolution, not knowing what was ahead for them any longer, not knowing who to follow, or if any of it mattered.

They threaded into the park, and gathered around the trees they had planted weeks before.

Avery spoke first. "If you're here, does that mean they are?"

JJ didn't answer at first. "As of now, we don't co-ordinate our schedules with the Planeteers. I have no idea what they'll be doing next week, and in any event, it doesn't matter. We've got a lot of work to do, and for all the things my brother and his friends can do, there are only five of them. They can't be everywhere. And if we can't do any good at all without them, then it hardly matters."

He saw people nodding, understanding that.

"Guys, things have to change. We have to change them. We can't wait for anyone else to do it for us. You with me?"

They all nodded.

"Welcome back, JJ."

Everyone spun and found themselves staring down a New York police officer. Some of them met his gaze challengingly; some of them stared at their shoes.

JJ did neither. "Detective O'Malley."

O'Malley met JJ's gaze. "JJ, there's a warrant out for your brother, and the latest news says that 'e left the country with you a week ago… If I were a cop, and I saw you 'anging around here with your friends, I would be wondering why you're back in New York, and if your brother 'ad come back with you."

JJ just looked at him.

"As it 'appens…" O'Malley continued. "I am a cop. And when I get word that a wanted criminal is around, I take action, no matter 'ow certain I am that the wanted criminal in question is innocent, no matter how sure I am that there's bad people trying to stop a good thing for bad reasons."

JJ smirked, just a little.

"So it's a good thing I didn't see you 'ere with your friends." O'Malley finished, his expression deadpan. "Otherwise I might 'ave to ask you a few questions."

Everyone traded a stunned look as the detective calmly turned and walked on.

Emily recovered first. "Who was that?"

"Detective O'Malley. A cop Wheeler and I have known for a very long time. I think he had a crush on my mom once upon a time. His point is well taken though, we better keep moving."

* * *

"Ma-Ti?"

The boy looked around, seeing through the walls. "There's nobody I can see… Not close anyway. They might be far enough away to be in another room; I can't be sure at this range."

Kwame nodded. "Well then, there's only one thing for it." He moved to the back of the truck and pushed the door open; poking his head out. "Looks clear."

Gearing up for a showdown, The Planeteers came out of the truck and started running.

* * *

Mal was tapping on his keyboard, just working a few diagnostics, when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and spared the monitor a glance. He barely looked before going back to work.

A moment later he looked back and nearly fell off his chair. There on the monitor were the Planeteers, running down the hallway toward the main lobby.

Shock made him stumble, and the coffee cup in his hand spilled off the desk, smashing on the floor. He scrambled for the phone, looking over at the alarm. "Pick up!" He hissed at the phone in his hand. "PickupPickupPickup!"

She picked up. "What?" Bligh demanded.

"They're here." Mal told her darkly. "I don't know how they got in, but they're here! The Planeteers, all five of them. They're inside!"

"What?" Bligh nearly climbed through the phone. "Are our teams responding?"

"Well, we don't have a lot of security inside now, except for… the 'private' rooms. Boss, the place is surrounded by cops! If I pull the alarm…"

"And if you don't, then they stay outside… what are the Planeteers doing?"

"Splitting up!"

"Pull the alarm, but don't evacuate the building yet!" Bligh said seriously. "They won't take it out if there are civilians in the place."

"It'll be the first thing the police do when they hear the alarm go off."

"You have till they get everyone out to kill the intruders. Seal the 'Private' rooms, cut off any elevators they aren't using and tell our people deadly force is authorized. Move fast Mal."

* * *

They took a moment to check the layout of the building on the evacuation chart.

"Bligh was putting the bomb here." Wheeler said, pointing to the room. "If there's something secret, they wouldn't put it there."

"Here." Gi pointed. "This room is the furthest one from the production line, but it's listed as a storage room for incoming chemical and battery waste. An extremely big one, with a lot of security doors between it and the entrance."

"That'll be where they're keeping the waste. They wouldn't want to move it around too much once they dump it, so we can assume anything illegal will be going on in there too."

They headed for the hallway, when the door suddenly locked. They tried turning the handle again, but it was locked tight. There was a keypad on the wall, and the light was flashing red. At the other end of the hallway, a security shutter rolled down, too far away for them to run and catch it.

Wheeler went to the elevators and tapped the button about a thousand times. The buttons did not light, and the elevator did not move. "Bad."

"They know we're here. The police will be in any second."

"And the building is still full of people. Not counting all the Corporation security." Ma-Ti pointed out. "If we're going to do this, we'll have to get them all out."

Wheeler was checking the door. "Security doors, concrete walls. I doubt we could just burn it down."

"We can get the doors open if we pull an emergency alarm. Building security is hardwired to open all the doors as soon as an evacuation is called. Of course, that won't count whatever secret doors and illegal stuff is in here." Gi offered. "But if they keep us locked in here, they can probably override that…"

"The CEO's Office." Wheeler said. "Top floor. He'll have a PA system, so he can call an evacuation from there. The entire building finds out, and they won't be able to keep the doors locked. Plus, if there is a secret chemical dump around here, he'll keep anything about it close by."

"The CEO of the Reclaimer is Ryerson." Linka said. "And he's still in the city anyway."

"Yeah, but his office is on the top floor."

Kwame made the call. "Linka and Wheeler; you'll find a way to the top floor to get the doors unlocked, and make an announcement to evacuate the building. That'll tip off the police. Keep them out for as long as you can. The rest of us will go and shut down the chemical dumping as soon as you can get the doors open."

Linka quickly strode off toward the elevators. "Wheeler, give me a hand with this."

Wheeler joined Linka quickly and worked the elevator doors, managing to pry them open. Linka looked up the open shaft and saw an elevator coming down. "We got incoming."

"Corporation Security." Wheeler said. "Go. I'll be with you as soon as I can."

Linka nodded. "You had all better step back."

* * *

A quartet of armed guards were in the elevator, when their ears popped. The elevator started to shiver, then shake, and a low whine of air movement whistled up past all of them.

"What is that?" Someone asked, as the elevator seemed to slow below their feet, and then change direction, going up again. It was clear that the elevator didn't want to go that way; they could hear the gears and cables groaning. The numbers up above told them they were on the executive floor, and it stopped there. The elevator was shaking violently, the walls of it creaking...

Finally, one guard hit the 'Door Open' button, and the guards came off the elevator, as the sound of whistling got louder. It was howling now, clearly coming from the elevator itself.

"What the hell is going on?" Someone shouted over the noise, and the elevator groaned as the intensity of the air movement increased dramatically. They all backed away instinctively, as the elevator groaned again, before rising further, without the doors closing. The howling changed pitch and the elevator practically flew upwards from the air pressure behind it, blasting out the top off the elevator shaft, out the top of the building.

A moment later the open gap into the elevator shaft showed a beautiful young woman, with determination on her face.

Linka floated upward in the wind, a tornado surrounding her, carrying her up the shaft. The guards fell back from the force of the gale, though Linka was seemingly untouched by it, and she stepped out into the room with them. The guards tried to aim their weapons at her. She just looked at them and the hurricane erupted again. The air was moving with such speed and force that it became visible, and the guards could barely hold their weapons, or see Linka; let alone take aim.

Linka strode toward them powerfully, and the storm came with her at every step.

Fighting back was impossible. Their weapons were discarded; as the guards were trying madly to stay on their feet, some of them on the floor, gripping the executive doors and wall mountings to stay where they were.

Linka, untouched by the hurricane, calmly moved toward them one by one, and reached out, forcing their fingers apart, forcibly breaking their grips on whatever they were holding, and suddenly they were flying, caught in a whirlwind, slammed into the walls, and tossed down the hallway.

Linka didn't even slow down as she reached the CEO's office. The wind came with her and she lifted a fire extinguisher off the wall, letting it drop... The wind caught it, and threw it at the door, slamming through the lock, and the door ripped open.

Linka released the wind instantly, and everything went shockingly still and silent; the hallway a disaster area, the elevator a write-off and the office untouched.

The CEO's office was still new, as was the entire facility. After the fire, all the security settings had been changed, and Ryerson was probably still learning the new codes...

Linka made a quick search of the desk and found some letter number combinations scribbled down on a set of post-it notes. Linka tapped them into the computer, and was quickly in.

* * *

"Come on, Linka..." Kwame hissed.

The door unlocked suddenly, the red light on the keypad turning green. A moment later the alarms went off, and an automated voice rang out from all the PA Speakers. "Evacuate the facility. Repeat, Evacuate immediately. Please remain calm, and move to the designated emergency exits immediately."

"That's our girl." Gi grinned as the message repeated.

Kwame opened the door and the two of them went deeper into the factory.

"Wheeler!" Linka's voice called over the intercom. "Come to this room! It's a good position!"

* * *

In the elevator opposite the one Linka took, Wheeler was riding the elevator up to the top floor as Linka's voice came over the speakers. The doors opened and Wheeler grinned as he came into the CEO's office. "A good position? There's probably a suggestive remark in there somewhere."

"Think of it later." Linka said urgently. "Hurry!"

* * *

As the employees came running out, the Police realized what was happening, and they spun to enter the facility. Police training demanded it, they all made sure the civilians were away from the scene, anticipating a massive battle.

One that came soon after.

As the last of the employees moved out of the building, the police started to move in; and their progress was checked by a sudden wall of flame. A sudden fireball appeared in mid-air and smashed down into the ground between the police roadblock and the Reclaimer. A sudden wind kicked up and the flames stretched, sweeping along the front of the facility; hitting nobody, but drawing a barricade, keeping them out.

The Police chased the fire around the building, surrounding it on all sides, looking for a back entrance, but the two Planeteers in the penthouse level had a clear view around the building from the top floor, and they ran back and forth, keeping watch on all of them.

"Call for backup!" Someone shouted into their radio. "We need backup! Helicopters!"

The wind picked up sharply, a hurricane forming on a clear sunny day.

Helicopters weren't going to help.

* * *

Kwame led Ma-Ti and Gi on a run through the deeper parts of the factory, when Ma-Ti's voice suddenly slammed into his mind. _Wait! Ambush!_

Kwame skidded to a halt, just short of the intersection in the hallway. The lights were further apart here, and the corridor far less comfortable, more industrial in tone. This was the workspace of the Reclaimer. A place where people who didn't know the building's true purpose would not be.

_Around the corner. Four of them. Heavily armed._ Ma-Ti reported.

Gi looked back up the hall. "They have fire protection." She told Kwame quietly. "It stands to reason they have it around the corner in the next hallway too."

Kwame nodded. "Do it."

Gi raised her ring. "Water!"

* * *

Around the corner, four guards were waiting in ambush, with rifles aimed at the intersection; when suddenly everything went berserk.

As part of the fire suppression system, there were sprinklers above… and fire hoses on the wall, ready to be used in case of fire. The hose behind them suddenly exploded outward from the wall, spraying water as the sudden pressure ripped it forward, the heavy metal nozzle suddenly a lethal weapon as it swung about wildly, the water inside it making it airborne.

The guards fell to the ground in shock, as it swiped at them, drenching them all. They tried to grab it as it smashed about, getting hit with all the water pressure that an out-of-control fire hose could give them. They tried to hold it steady, but the water was alive and smashed them one at a time, shoving them into the wall, into the floor. Guards were knocked off their feet, and then slammed in the head by the heavy nozzle…

* * *

Ma-Ti nodded coolly. "Now we can go."

They came around the corner at a run, heading for the secret room. The hose was still running. The end of it seemed to wave at them briefly, like a giant snake nodding respectfully to Gi, before the pressure cut out and it dropped.

They came to the door, which was solid enough that they couldn't kick it down.

Gi went back to the hose and picked up the end of it. "Find me a knife." She said. "One of the guards must have one. If I can cut the nozzle off the hose and slip the hose under the door, I can force the water through, but it won't go under the door. The pressure will build up until the door is bent off its hinges."

Kwame nodded and quickly went to the nearest guard, looking for a knife, as Gi reeled out the hose properly.

The door unlocked behind them suddenly, and swung open.

Gi and Kwame looked in surprise as Ma-Ti opened the door with one of the guards' passcards.

"Or we could just do that." Gi finished lamely.

Kwame nodded, amused. "I'm so glad we have Ma-Ti here to solve these difficult problems for us."

The three of them came into the room, and felt their jaws drop. The room as huge and full of heavy industrial shelves. And the ones nearest the door were stacked with barrels, some of them stacked twenty deep on top of each other.

And all the barrels had warning labels all over them.

There was room for a whole lot more of it.

* * *

Up on the top floor, Linka tapped away at the computer, trying to lock the front doors, access the cameras, anything that would buy them a few more minutes. Even in the Managers Office, there was only so much she could do from there.

Looking out the high windows, Wheeler surveyed the field in front of the Reclaimer, checking to see if anyone got through. "Those are police. Not Corporation Mercs."

"I know." Linka said coolly. "Will the barricade keep burning if you're not here watching it?"

"Don't know. Not much down there that can burn on its own." Wheeler admitted. "But minutes count. It's only a matter of time before they try to run the fire in one of those SUV's of theirs. When that happens they'll just drive through the fire quickly, smash through the doors..."

"We have to get downstairs." Linka agreed.

* * *

Ma-Ti was leading with his camera, snapping photos of everything as quickly as he could. Gi waved. "Over here!"

Kwame and Ma-Ti went over to her quickly. Sure enough, she had found the barrels of battery sludge. Ma-Ti snapped photos of the labels, and the torn stickers over the top of them.

"What do we do?" Gi asked. "We can't move all these. We have a few minutes, max."

"We leave them here." Kwame said with certainty. "The point of this is to expose the fact that they are here. We have to trash the factory enough that the Corporation will need regular emergency crews to clean it up."

Gi pointed beyond the walls. "Kwame, the headwaters for the Hudson are right on the other side of that wall. You sink these barrels, and we'll be making the problem so much worse."

Kwame nodded. "Well, that sounds like the definition of your job Gi."

The young woman almost slapped her forehead. "Oh. Right."

Ma-Ti snapped a few more photos of the room, making it clear where the barrels were. "I got the pictures. Bring the house down."

Gi looked nervous. "Now, you got the floor-plan, right. You're not going to drop the building down on _us_?"

Kwame was looking at the floor-plan. "Looks like the majority of the people work in the administrative part of the building. That'll be the multi-story, where Wheeler and Linka are. The industrial section is mostly like this."

Ma-Ti shouted. "Look out!"

Everyone dove as gunfire rang out. They ducked behind the Machines as bullets ricochet around them.

"Police?" Kwame asked quickly.

"No." Ma-Ti confirmed grimly, and the others tensed. Private security at a secret project. They wouldn't care about taking any prisoners.

"How many?" Gi asked.

Ma-Ti shut his eyes for a moment, letting his senses fill the room. "Two. On the walkway above us. They have a good position, and weapons."

Gi shut her own eyes a moment. "You know what else they have up there? A sprinkler feed."

* * *

The guards up above had ammo enough that they kept firing, when the sprinklers over their heads suddenly exploded. They didn't just start, they ruptured, the force of the water like a fire hose. The torrent of fresh water was moving faster than any pressure through the pipes would give it, and the two guards were quickly swept off their feet. The water clawed at them like quicksand, given will to move against gravity and current by Gi's guidance.

The three Planeteers came out from their hiding place as the two guards were picked up by the wave and tossed over the side of the walkway, dropping down to the floor.

Ma-Ti came over. "Alive." He pronounced.

"Let's get them back into that hallway. This room is going to collapse soon."

The Planeteers began to pull the two wounded men into safety.

"Put them under the door frame." Kwame said. "Structurally, It's the strongest point. I'll try and do this clean, but I've only ever tried to be this precise once before. If I screw it up…"

Ma-Ti lunged and brought Kwame down in a tackle as another gunshot rang out.

"Gi ducked down next to them. "How many?"

"Just one." Ma-Ti reported. "He intends to kill us, but he isn't sure he can."

Kwame looked around. "I hate to just drop the room on him…"

"Go." Ma-Ti said seriously. "I can handle this."

Another gunshot rang out and everyone ducked. Kwame and Gi nodded and ran out of the hallway, heading into the Main Industrial Center of the plant.

Leaving Ma-Ti alone with the last armed guard.

The boy didn't even try to duck away, standing up and calmly striding down the hallway, taking slow steps so that he could keep his concentration as he lifted his camera and took a quick shot of the guard's face.

The guard wasn't hiding either, the gun frozen in his hand. He had it pointed at Ma-Ti, but for some reason, he couldn't pull the trigger.

Ma-Ti met his eyes and gave him an intense death-stare.

The guard was shaking, the gun in his hand was weaving as though he was suddenly drunk, before it started to move again. The gun began inching upward slowly, the guard hissing as he fought to drop it, throw it away, point his hand elsewhere… anything to stop its impossible change in direction.

Ma-Ti kept coming, unafraid, unmoved, eyes bright.

Slowly, the gun kept moving, until the guard was pointing his own gun directly at his own temple. The man was twice Ma-Ti's size, armoured and well trained, and he still couldn't stop what was obviously about to happen. "No…" He whispered. "…please don't."

Ma-Ti kept coming, right up in the man's face. "A week ago, I wouldn't have cared either way. You are fighting to protect criminals and killers, and you don't care, because it's your job. Well, this is my job." He said simply. "Remember, I could have done it. We could do a lot of things. Just like you could do a lot of things that don't hurt people. We're not the bad guys here."

Ma-Ti calmly took the gun out of the man's grip, and the intensity of the gaze increased. "Goodnight."

The guard dropped instantly, unconscious; without Ma-Ti even touching him.

"Wow."

Ma-Ti spun. Linka and Wheeler were there, watching him with their jaws hanging open.

Ma-Ti pointed to the floor-plan on the wall. "There are more guards, in teams of three. They have the main Industrial works surrounded, and are moving to keep us out of the receiving station, the water pumps, and the main storage bays."

"That's where they're doing everything illegal." Linka said.

"Kwame and Gi are heading for the pumping station. Keep them off us for a while." Ma-Ti said plainly.

Linka and Wheeler nodded as the hallways shook for a second, then settled.

"We better move fast." Wheeler said lightly.

* * *

Kwame and Gi had found the pumping station. The whole place had a disgusting toxic smell that left no doubt as to what was being pumped here. The huge pumps were connected to large pipes, which extended downward.

"These pipes must lead to the River." Gi said. "This is why nobody ever notices the battery sludge leaving the factory. It's all done underground."

"This is it then." Kwame agreed. "We have to destroy this pumping station."

Gi looked at the barrels, abandoned after the evacuation order. "Can you do it without destroying those barrels?"

"We'll have to risk it." Kwame said shortly. "EARTH!"

The room shook, with Gi and Kwame taking cover under the room's support frames, where the structure would be strongest. The room shook, then rocked, and Gi heard things smash and metal creak. Cracks appeared in a few places along the walls and ceilings…

And then Kwame pulled it back. "No good." He breathed, slightly worn out by the efforts. "I can bring it down, but not without destroying the whole room."

They could hear gunfire in the distance, and then the low roar of wind whistling down the corridors.

Gi bit her lip. "I can help." She said finally, and almost seemed to throw a punch at the wall behind the pumping station. "WATER!"

The room trembled a moment, then filled with a unique rumbling, before the cracks started to form in the walls.

"Gi, what are you doing?" Kwame asked softly.

A low groan came from the pumping station as the wall behind it actually bulged out, and the Planeteers blinked as small sprays of pressurized water came from behind the wall. Within the steel and concrete walls were pipelines, for bathrooms, industrial uses, for cleaning, for fire suppression systems, and ultimately, to pump the battery sludge out.

All that water within all those pipes was suddenly under Gi's command, and she commanded it all to come closer to her. The weight of the water suddenly fighting the pressure, suddenly moving in different directions was enough to rupture the pipes, and behind the big heavy walls, water was pooling, building up, getting heavy. A flood was breaking out within the wall itself, and it was only a matter of time.

Gi spared them all a quick smile. "Guys… _run_!"

They did.

Kwame called over his shoulder. "Earth!"

The ground shifted, one last time, and the weight of the water caved in the walls completely, bringing the pumping station down in an avalanche of water and concrete.

The Planeteers kept running as the water chased after them, though Gi could keep it back. The barrels fell under the flood, some of them sealed enough to handle it, others breaking open, releasing the toxic contents.

The hallways kept shaking as they ran, the building collapsing in stages as the walls of the Reclaimer fell; and they could hear the huge shelves of toxic waste collapsed as the factory shuddered.

The water swept through the shattered walls, pouring from one room into the next, into the storage room, washing over the battery sludge, the toxins, the chemicals…

Kwame went to the door of the storage room as a disgusting flood of filth spread to every corner of the storage area, already smoking and sizzling acidly against everything it touched. The walls gave way as Gi's water exploded from the pumping station, spreading the toxins everywhere…

Kwame could smell it a mile away and made a fist. "EARTH!"

The floor collapsed in the pumping station and the storage rooms, and the flood of toxins pooled.

"There'll be more outside!" Wheeler gulped air as they ran. "It might reach the river if we don't…"

"No might about it; it'll happen." Gi responded.

"We have to get out of here though; the police will be coming in any second."

"We make one stop to check the flow, and then we get the hell outta here!"

* * *

Outside, the Police were trying to get the fire department to come and put the flames out, when the heat suddenly eased. The fires burned themselves out soon after with no fuel, and no Wheeler to keep them going.

They charged into the building, looking for trouble, weapons drawn…

While the Planeteers slipped out the back. With a wave of his hand, Wheeler parted the flames for them, and they ran.

The walls of the Reclaimer were solid, but Gi's actions had put a hole through a lot of them. The back wall was coming down, the pumping station already collapsed. The five of them followed the sound of rushing water till they found it.

Gi's senses were alive with the water everywhere. She could feel the water she had used to demolish the walls, she could feel the water in the pipes... and she could feel the edges of the Hudson River...

And then it happened. The storage rooms were next to the pumping station, their cargo of toxic chemicals shattered and spread by the tremors. As the walls continued to collapse and come down, the spread of water sent the chemicals everywhere, through the Reclaimer, and through to the other side of the once impenetrable walls.

Gi threw out her hands. "Water!" She shouted.

The waters shifted, redirecting away from the Hudson, washing the chemicals back the way they came, back into the building...

"DOWN!" Ma-Ti shouted.

The Planeteers dove, but Gi did not, her eyes closed as she tried to steer the waves uphill...

Gunfire rang out, and Gi was knocked off her feet, blood splashing out on her side.

Kwame saw Gi fall as she was hit, and the world suddenly went silent to him.

"GI!" Four voices shouted as one.

Kwame came up with fire in his eyes and tracked the sound of gunshots to the team of guards that had come around the corner. "EARTH!"

They fired again, but too late as their feet went out from under them, the ground suddenly becoming very... welcoming.

The solid earth beneath their feet turned to quicksand, and they dropped, their guns instantly useless against the natural force that came over them, sucking them down into the hungry sand.

Linka and Wheeler were at Gi's side instantly. The young woman was conscious, though confused enough to not know what had happened. They worked feverishly, trying to stop the bleeding. "Gi? Stay with me!"

"...here's Kwam...?" She slurred.

Kwame was still staring down their attackers as they sank up to their knees, then their waists, then their shoulders, all in a matter of seconds...

"Kwame! She needs you!" Wheeler roared.

Kwame swiftly broke off the attack. The guards were petrified as they all felt the ground solidify again... and they found themselves snugly buried up to their necks in the earth.

Kwame came to Gi's side, and held her hand in both of his. "Gi?" He whispered.

Her eyes locked on his, vacant from the pain, but clear enough to recognize him.

Ma-Ti came to Gi on gliding footsteps, in no great rush, and he knelt down next to Gi, his Ring glowing brightly.

As had happened with Wheeler, Gi could feel the agony in her side start to fade, color returning to her face slightly. Her vision cleared slightly, and she was able to get a look at her friends. "What's..." She gasped as agony lanced through her side. "What's happ-Oohh..."

"Lie still." Wheeler told her, putting pressure on the wound.

Ma-Ti's Ring flared brighter, before dimming sharply, and he slumped, gasping for air himself. He could do no more.

Linka bit her lip. "I hate to do this, but we're not exactly in a safe place now."

Kwame stroked his fingers down the side of Gi's face gently, and she tried to smile for him. "I'm..." She shuddered. "I'm okay."

Kwame didn't take his eyes off her, but spoke calmly and efficiently. "Linka, find us something we can use to carry her. Our job here is done. We have to get her back to the Geo-Cruiser. Wheeler, find us transport. Ma-Ti, if you have enough left to get us away, get ready, if not, save your strength of when we get back to the Glider. I'd rather Gi sleep through the trip." He released Gi's hand at last and stood up.

"Meanwhile... Gi's not controlling the waters any more." Linka called.

They looked as they scattered for their assigned tasks and realized she was correct. The rush of water that Gi had summoned to bring down the walls was now washing the spilled toxic waste toward the river again.

Kwame raised his ring. "Earth!"

A large trench fell way under the water, on a much larger scale than inside, and the chemicals started to fill the sudden basin...

Kwame turned and went to the guards that remained buried in the ground. "Gentlemen." He said calmly. "We are leaving. Emergency crews will be by soon to dig you out. You may want to try and get them here quickly, before that trench I dug fills up with toxic waste and it spills out over your heads. Take it as poetic justice that it was your actions that put you, and those chemicals, here together."

They didn't say anything, only glared.

Kwame turned back to his team, who were carefully transferring Gi onto an improvised stretcher. "Let's move!"

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

We now have confirmed reports of a battle taking place in upstate New York at the site of the Reclaimer factory. As yet, there's nothing to confirm that it is the Planeteers, though the location strongly indicates it to be them.

There has been no official word as yet from law enforcement, or the Corporation, but police have called for backup, and the Center for Disease Control has been contacted, though nobody is quite sure why.

Searches for the Geo-Cruiser have thus far been unsuccessful. We'll have more on this story as it develops.

* * *

Emily turned off her smart phone from the TV channel, bit her lip and looked to JJ. "You'll have to stay hidden. For a while at least."

"I know." JJ agreed.

Emily looked sick. "You can't stay with me." She said. "I'm sorry, JJ; but…my father is still being watched, and I think…"

"No, I understand." JJ agreed. "I got a few places I can hide. This is Brooklyn, after all."

Emily bit her lip. "Tell me how it all works out?"

"I will."

Emily chewed on her lower lip again for a moment, then leaned forward and put a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Be safe."

JJ felt his face form into a goofy grin and struggled to remember what she was worried about. "Always."

* * *

The search took hours, and was done methodically. Room by room, level by level. Bligh was on them in seconds, trying to keep them out, citing private property. The police overruled her immediately, and told her to file a complaint if she had a problem. The police worked to the blueprints, but opened every door on sight till they found the pumping station.

Bligh was absent after they got through the front door, and never seen by anyone on the scene once an undeclared pumping station was discovered. The barrels were kept in another room, and with the exception of the few barrels that Ma-Ti had torn the false labels off for his camera, they all had the right labels. It was accepted that there would be battery sludge there. Several of the barrels had been broken, knocked over. The police stayed out of those rooms, until they could get the all clear to go in.

The wounded or unconscious guards found in the hallways were seen to, and woke up in the nearest hospital. Police interest was piqued when none of them would answer questions.

The fire department was called in to do a quick assessment of the building, and the rooms that had holes through the doors and walls. Their team came in and confirmed that it was a pumping station, and that it didn't appear on any of the official documentation.

Secretly, they all expected that. The Planeteers had swept in for the second time, apparently to finish the job, but none of it made sense. They all knew that the five world celebrities were holding back on what they could do.

The fireman sniffed, noticing a smell in the air. "Barry, get the chemical kit, would you? I think there's something else here…"

"Other than battery acids? Industrial chemicals? There's a lot of reconstruction going on…"

"Probably. We can't let the cleanup crew in till we figure out the concentration, and what it is."

"I got the CEO on the line screaming at us to leave it."

"I'm sure he does." The Fire Marshall said. "But under the law, we have jurisdiction till there's no health and safety risk. Tell him to sit on it."

"Yessir."

The chemical kit came and the tests were made. And then rechecked. And then done again just to make sure.

The whole area was locked down soon after.

There was no sign found of the Planeteers.

* * *

Bligh was staring out the window of the chauffeur driven car, on her way back to New York, when Mal, seated next to her took the earwig out of his ear and offered it to her. "Listen to this."

"What am I listening to?" Bligh asked, taking it from him.

"I'm tapped into a scanner that reads the official police and fire department feeds; keeping tabs on the investigation back at the Reclaimer."

"There's no mistake about it sir, there's more than just the stored battery sludge here. There's all kinds of toxic chemicals. We've logged at least four different kinds so far. According to the manifest, there shouldn't be a tenth of what we've found so far."

"Is it contained?"

Beat.

"I repeat, is it contained?"

"Well…. Yes, but not by us."

"Explain that."

"Well, most of it is still in barrels, but the rest of it, the stuff that was either out already or broken open when the wall came down? It… We have witness reports saying that a large trench just… appeared suddenly, stopping the flow before it could get out of the building. There's basically a swimming pool of the stuff here."

"Is there a health danger?"

"Health danger? We're within reach of the Hudson River!"

"Hell. Call the CDC, call the water transit authority in New York, we got to try and divert it or collect it before it can leech into-"

"Excuse me sir, but I don't think that 'leeching' will quite say it. See… My fire crews were working from the blueprints, but there's a huge set of works back here that aren't on any plan. It's a pumping station. Or it was. There are pipes leading directly to the river. Not from it, to it."

"The Reclaimer was pumping this crap into the river?"

"By the gallon. If the Planeteers hadn't dug the trench, or shut down the pumping station…"

Bligh turned off the scanner pointedly, and turned to Mal. "Those kids are becoming a source of irritation."

"Yes Ma'am." Mal agreed.

"Well, there's only one thing for it." Bligh sighed. "Get the bastard on the line."

Mal turned to the phone and dialed. "Mr Stumm? I have Director Bligh for you."

* * *

Interpol had organized a task force to find and catch the Planeteers, and they had all been paged. Over a dozen agents crammed themselves into a small office for the latest news. It was not lost on any of them that Linka's parents were not invited.

"All right, here's what we know." The head of the Task Force, Agent Gerald Hernandez, called them to attention. "We know that the Planeteers had managed to free their glider and get back to Hope Island. We have satellite footage of it being parked there for a while. We know that they had a visitor on a private yacht, and we know that the Geo-Cruiser took off soon after." He turned to one of his agents. "McCall, where are we after that?"

"Our surveillance has a gap from that point on, but we know that an anonymous tip placed the Planeteers as coming back to America, likely the Reclaimer facility. The tip noted the exact time they left, which was not released, so we count it as a good lead."

"Who the hell has that information if we don't?" Someone asked.

"Well, we don't know. What we do know is that the police currently stationed to protect the Reclaimer reported that the building was being evacuated as of two hours ago, and Police and emergency services were prevented from entering the building by what was described as 'a wall of flame that came from nothing'."

A murmur went around the room. They all knew what that meant.

Hernandez picked it up from there. "The building was hit by seismic disturbance, and the emergency services were then able to enter the building. They found no sign of the Planeteers in their search of the premises. What they did find, was a series of rooms and equipment not on the schematics."

Another reaction, stronger this time.

Agent Hernandez gave them a moment to let that sink in. "We all know that the charges against the Planeteers make no sense, but until now we've agreed that it wasn't our job to find them innocent, just to find them. Nevertheless, this is the second time the Reclaimer facility has come under attack, so as of now, it is officially a lead. McCall?"

"The charge that the Planeteers we behind the explosion is based on the camera footage of Wheeler Johnston burning his way out after the blast, as well as the text message just before the blast from one of their phones saying that the bomb was set."

"What about the Reclaimer itself?"

"First, there is confirmed information that the Reclaimer's permits are illegal, or at least inaccurate, due to the fact that they concealed the recycling method, and the creator of the technology. The creator of the Reclaimer concept was revealed to be Elias Levinson, an MIT graduate, who was found dead in his apartment. He has no record of any home intrusion, and his landlord said that he had no security system set up, but there was a surveillance camera in his apartment. It shows what looks like the Planeteers involved in combat with two men, at least one of them a police officer, who was killed in action, Officer Julian Hertz. The other man, also killed, is as yet unidentified, though he was wearing a Uniform. Chicago PD say the second man is not a cop."

"What do we know about Officer Hertz?" Hernandez asked.

"We've run his records. He has a flawless record of service, never so much as fixed a ticket. Six months ago, his seven year old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, prognosis terminal without urgent treatment. He couldn't afford it on a cop's salary, but the kid has been checked into a private hospital, and is currently undergoing treatment. I looked into the payments, and they all came from an anonymous donation. The donation came four hours after Officer Hertz was killed."

A quiet roar went around the room.

"So, it seems that Officer Hertz sacrificed himself to save his daughter, though this is not admissible in court; as it's conjecture." Hernandez summed up. "What about the Reclaimer?"

"Good, because this is where it gets interesting." McCall said, a jaded grin on his face. "The room that was not recorded on the blueprints held what is reported as a high capacity industrial fuel pump by the emergency crews on the scene. They report that the Reclaimer has the capability to pump large amounts of highly corrosive chemical agents out of the facility through underground pipes. Pipes that lead in the direction of the Hudson river."

A sudden buzz of conversation went around the room. Interpol agents were investigators, every one of the, and they finally got a piece to the puzzle that made the picture suddenly fit together in a way that made sense. The secrecy, the lies, the money, the Planeteers interest, it all fit together at last.

"And…" McCall lowered the final boom. "Safety and Maintenance crews are reporting that there's a lot of chemical waste on the scene. More than you would find on any construction site, more than you would find at any industrial plant… a lot more."

At that moment the door opened, and Linka's parents shoved heir way in. "We have information!"

"Agents Petrova." McCall barked. "Your involvement is… not advisable. Given your connection to the case…" McCall was about to say something more, when his phone beeped. He answered it, listened for a while.

Alana took the opportunity to plead her case. "We received a message from our daughter twenty minutes ago." Alana told the room. "She sent us testimony from all five Planeteers, as well as photographic evidence of what was inside the Reclaimer before they hit it."

She threw the pages in her hand down on the table. Ma-Ti's pictures of the barrels was right on the top. The warning labels were clearly seen by the entire room.

"And you should know..." Agent Stephan Petrova added. "That we're just the first. They say that they'll be publishing to photos online in 48 hours."

"We have 48 hours to make use of this information before we have a billion people demanding to know why we didn't."

A chorus of commentary began, people arguing things, scoring debating points, trying to convince each other.

McCall put his phone away and shouted over it. "KNOCK IT OFF! We have someone here from Corporation Security. They say they've got new information for our investigation. They say it clears the Planeteers of any wrongdoing."

Linka's parents traded a quick look, and the room waited for the 'new information' to come in.

A few minutes later the door opened, and Bligh swept in, a folder under her arm. "The Planeteers didn't set off the explosion." She said simply. "They couldn't have. The text message came from Wheeler Johnston's phone, but he didn't have it when the bomb went off. It was a tour for a select few, and in trying to keep their patent fraud a secret, the CEO of the Reclaimer, Ryerson ordered that any visitors had to turn over their phones or recording devices. Including the Planeteers. The bomb was set by someone else, and they used his phone to try and pin the blame on a celebrity."

"And, who did that?" Stephan asked her acidly.

"A terrible crime has been committed." Bligh said seriously. "We've discovered that the patent fraud over who actually developed Reclaimer tech was not the only thing that went unnoticed for so long."

"What do you mean?" Petrova demanded.

"The Reclaimer didn't work." Bligh told them. "It never worked. It was never going to work. It was meant as a way to cover up illegal chemical dumping." She reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. "It took some doing, but we managed to track down the original brief, suggesting the construction the damn thing. We know who's brainchild the Reclaimer was originally. He was the one that started this."

Agent Petrova snatched the page off the table and scanned it quickly, eager to see who was behind the whole idea of the Reclaimer… And looked at Bligh in scandalized shock when she read the name.

_Devorux._

"Deveroux is dead." Petrova said instantly. "Has been for over six months. If you think you can pin this on him just because its convenient..."

"The Reclaimer Project was started before he died, and before we became aware that he was a criminal." Bligh put in smoothly.

Alana shook her head. "No. Not buying it. You're just trying to cover up what you knew." She turned to Hernandez in desperation. "Jerry... go to the Director. Tell him not to take the deal."

Bligh's phone was ringing. She answered it. "Hello?" She listened. "Yes, they're right here." She held out her cell phone to Hernandez. "Agent Hernandez, The Director wants to talk to you."

Hernandez took the phone and listened for thirty seconds. "Yes sir." He said shortly. He disconnected and spoke to his team. "We are to offer every assistance."

Linka's parents looked disgusted.

"It's not a conspiracy, it's just survival." Hernandez said simply." In 48 hours the photos get released and we all look like idiots. Interpol will be the international police force that tried to arrest world known superheroes while known criminals got rich causing causing cancer across half of New York State."

"The crime was committed in our Company, and the warrant against the Planeteers came out from yours." Bligh said easily. "So why go pointing fingers for the next ten years, when we can help each other and both come out of this as winners?"

Stephan and Alana were glad they hadn't mentioned the full text of their daughter's message. If Bligh had known about Gi, there was no telling how Bligh might have reacted.


	10. The Power Is Yours

The Planeteers had escaped, and made it back to the hidden Geo-Cruiser. Linka was skilled enough to get them back to Hope Island. Ma-Ti had used his abilities as best he could to keep Gi unconscious for the whole flight. The bleeding had slowed, but not stopped. Gi was getting weaker with each passing hour of the flight when they finally got back.

Wheeler and Kwame both knew first aid, and Linka's hometown had little in the way of medical care; so between the three of them, they were fairly knowledgeable about treating injuries. The bullet had missed everything important and the exit wound was messy, but they were fairly certain she'd heal. Ma-Ti rested on the flight and accelerated her healing in turns as he got the strength back.

Linka called ahead and warned Gi's parents what to expect, and they had converted Gi's little home into a recovery unit.

Kwame hadn't let go of her hand for more than ten seconds. He was expecting anger from her family, but they only had eyes for their daughter.

The others took one look at them gathered around Gi's bed, and quietly stepped out. Ma-Ti was exhausted, even more so than Linka for a while. He went back to his hut and collapsed. His parents came out of the deep woods and checked on Gi, then went to the hut and kept watch over their son a while.

Linka went to the forest, and Wheeler was left with nothing to do, so he followed her. She looked wiped out too, from getting them back to the Island after the battle; so he stopped her from climbing a tree, lest she fall and break her neck. She was too tired to argue with him and collapsed at a tree trunk, falling asleep on Wheeler's shoulder almost instantly.

Alana and Ruby came to visit, and Ruby went looking for Linka. She found the two of them asleep on the edge of the forest and went to tell her grandmother, and Alana quickly shooed the girl away from her granddaughter, and the wounded Gi. Ruby knew the old woman was trying to coddle her, but didn't fight it, keeping busy for a while.

* * *

Kwame was almost asleep in his chair. Gi was sleeping peacefully. Her father came in and roused him. "Kwame..." He said kindly. "Get some sleep. You've done your part, you got her home alive. And you did a good thing, striking a blow to protect the innocent and all that noble stuff. Take a break."

Kwame sighed. "I... I can't."

Kim sat down and held up the coffee cup. "You've been awake almost forty hours. Coffee is not going to do it. Go get some sleep, some food, and come back. If she woke up right now, she'd say that you looked awful."

Kwame snorted. "She probably would at that."

Kim watched him a moment. "She's going to be okay."

"I know." Kwame yawned. "I'm sorry about this, Kim. I mean… I bring your daughter back with a gunshot wound, and you have to go and take care of _me_? You should have broken my nose by now."

Kim didn't say anything a while. "What's on your mind?" He said. "It can't all be guilt."

"Isn't guilt enough?" Kwame asked blankly. "She's here because of me. If she... I was in charge."

"You were in charge a month ago." Kim pointed out. "You were ready to chuck the whole mission then, and nobody had been shot yet."

Kwame nodded. "Yeah well... things were different then."

Kim smiled. "There's a very Japanese quality to you, Kwame. Calm, focused, tranquil, practical. I like that about you. But you have a tendency to put others first. A good thing on its own, but you do tend to not take care of yourself as a result. Gi told me that your friends were worried about you after your sister passed."

Kwame shivered. "When Kunto died, I was here, on this island, and she was in a hospital bed. She was alone."

Kim suddenly understood. "And now, here you are again." He gave his daughter a gentle smile. "This is not the same thing. Gi's going to recover, whether you're here or not."

"I know." Kwame sighed.

"Take care of yourself for a few hours." Kim told him. "Gi would say the same."

Kwame smiled at her affectionately. "Yeah. Yeah she would."

Kim gave the two of them a knowing look. "You shouldn't have waited this long." He said quietly.

"I know." Kwame agreed, too exhausted to pretend he didn't know what that meant.

* * *

Linka woke up with a hum and found herself stretched out under the trees, with Wheeler's arms around her shoulders, and her head resting on his chest. It took her several very comfortable seconds to realize it.

She nearly freaked out until she was certain he was still asleep, and memory caught up. When they'd sat down here, she was next to him, not half on top of him. She slipped out from under his arm without waking him and allowed herself a little smile. He'd never find out.

Linka turned away from the American and found Ruby less than two feet away, staring at them with a big smile on her face. "How long have you been sitting there?" She whispered.

"Long enough." Ruby's smile was so big it nearly left her face.

"What is the fastest, easiest possible way of making sure the Yankee doesn't ever find out about this?" Linka asked directly.

Ruby grinned.

* * *

When Wheeler woke up forty minutes later, Linka was crouching over him, shaking him awake. She had coffee waiting, and he took it gratefully. "Thank you." He looked up at Linka and blinked. The woman had her blonde hair tied in about forty different childish braids with ribbons all over it. It looked like Ruby had used Linka's head for a coloring book.

"Don't ask." Linka said shortly.

"Okay." Wheeler sipped his coffee. "Gi?"

"No change." Linka said quietly. "Her father finally got Kwame to get some sleep. How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I would have thought, being under a tree." Wheeler yawned. "Long day."

They were silent a moment, taking stock of themselves, getting their bearings after the battle.

"It was going to happen eventually." Wheeler admitted, waving at Gi's house. "All the guns pointed at us... Sooner or later..."

"Remember our first mission?" Linka said quietly. "We were all on the Saratoga, and Kwame got word on the news that his sister died... Gi was the one holding his hand through that."

"She's holding his hand now." Wheeler pointed out. "She's just sleeping through it this time."

"My parents sent me an email." Linka said quietly. "There are a few things we need to take care of on our end."

"We can't ask Kwame to leave her now. And if he's finally getting some sleep, we can't dump this on his plate too."

"Which is why we have to handle it for him." Linka said simply.

Wheeler took that in and nodded, getting to his feet. "Right."

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"In a stunning twist to the Planeteers saga, the Corporation, and Interpol have asked for full coverage of a hastily arranged Press Conference, in which Corporation Security Chief Barbara Bligh, and head of the Interpol Planeteer Task Force, Agent Gerald Hernandez, presented evidence that not only cleared the Planeteers of any wrongdoing; but in fact demonstrated multiple levels of fraud and criminal negligence on the part of the Reclaimer.

"We would now like to replay part of the statement read by Chief Bligh a few hours ago."

"…Last year, the involvement of the Planeteers brought about a swift regime change in The Corporation, sending Mr Stumm's predecessor Alexander Appius to jail for a number of illegal projects that caused great risk to innocent people. As security chief, it has been my responsibility under Mr Stumm's leadership, to investigate the pattern of corruption, and to identify those responsible.

"This search began with the discovery of an illegal mobile oil rig, conceived of by Captain Alexi Devorux. This rig was destroyed by the intervention of the Planeteers, on the first mission that made them household names. Captain Devorux was declared dead, having gone down with his ship, but before the criminal nature of his actions was known to the Corporation, he held a position of authority as head of special projects. We had thought that the Rig was the only illegal project he had begun. We were mistaken.

"We can now identify Reclaimer CEO Ryerson as being part of his criminal activities, and in this case, continuing them in the late Devorux's absence. The Reclaimer was never meant to be capable of recycling industrial wastes safely. Instead, the Reclaimer was built as a front to cover widespread toxic waste dumping. This plan was conceived by Captain Devorux, and continued after his death by Ryerson.

"The Planeteers were framed for the original attack on the Reclaimer, in the hopes that their own investigations into illegal waste dumping would be curtailed. Regrettably, we fell for it, at least for a time. As head of Corporation security, I would personally like to congratulate the Planeteers for continuing their search for the truth, despite the overwhelming obstacles that I and the authorities put in their way. If not for their intervention, the toxic waste storage and dumping might never have come to light, and the Hudson River would now be a source of cancer clusters all over New York State…"

* * *

Devorux switched off the TV irritably. "Digger! We have to move again!"

* * *

"For more on this, we turn to our own Karen Gillys. Karen, can you hear me?

"Yes, Dan; I can. I'm currently at the Justice Department, where the announcement was just made that the warrant for the arrest of the Planeteers has officially been dropped. The announcement was met with a round of applause from everyone here."

"That's good news, Karen. You yourself have been under a gag order for the majority of this affair haven't you?"

"I wanted to speak on behalf of them, Dan; I won't deny it. I never believed a word of the charges. But it would have been… unethical for a reporter to express personal viewpoints on an ongoing investigation."

* * *

"Translation: they handcuffed her to something to keep her off camera." Wheeler joked.

"I hope so." Linka agreed. "I'd hate to think she was just staying silent to save her own neck. We gave that woman a Pulitzer."

"Don't be so suspicious, babe. Reporters have to walk a tightrope at the best of times, especially on the controversial news." Wheeler ran a hand through his hair. "They'll pin the whole thing on Devorux."

"I know." Linka agreed. "We weren't going to bring down The Corporation with this one... but we stopped the factory dumping toxic waste into the river, and probably saved more than a few lives doing it. Take it as a victory, if only a small one."

Wheeler couldn't help but smirk. It was refreshing to hear Linka of all people talking about small victories being worthwhile. They'd all changed during this mission, accepting things...

They watched the coverage silently a moment.

"They'll be waiting for us to say something, you know." Wheeler said finally. "You heard it: The warrant is dropped. We can go back. They're going to be wondering why we don't."

"What about Gi?" Linka asked quietly. "What do we say about her?"

* * *

"The truth." Her mother said instantly. "Tell them that she was shot trying to stop the Reclaimer from poisoning a lot of innocent people, and that she will recover from her injuries."

Wheeler sent Kim a look, and Gi's father nodded. "The truth is a pretty good thing to tell people. It's not like we have to worry about paparazzi on Hope Island."

"And if you don't, word will get out sooner or later." Kwame said.

Everyone spun and found Kwame in the doorway, looking tired, but shaved and somewhat more alert.

"During the fight, at least four of the guards saw Gi get hit. All four of them were buried up to their necks by me. Someone's going to ask them what happened. And now that the truth about the Reclaimer is out, some of them will want to make a deal by cooperating fully. If we don't tell them, somebody else will."

Linka turned to Gi's parents. "We can email a message. If you wanted to add anything…"

Kim and Yumi traded a look, and agreed to go with Linka, leaving Kwame and Wheeler with Gi.

"Would you really have done it?" Wheeler asked quietly. "Back during the battle? If I hadn't called you over to Gi, would you have…?"

Beat. Kwame knew what he was talking about. The team of guards that had attacked Gi were all one foot away from being literally buried alive…

"No." Kwame said finally. "No, I would not. I grew up in the middle of ethnic wars, child soldiers, genocides... I can't be that guy. I just can't. Not even to avenge my Gi. Is that a good thing or... does that make me weak?"

Wheeler sent their leader a respectful look. "I may not mean much coming from me... but I think it makes you the most damn exceptional man I've ever known."

"I agree."

Both men spun around and found Gi blinking her eyes open. "So thirsty…" She croaked.

"That's encouraging, coming from our Water Power." Wheeler quipped, as though Gi had just been out of the room for a minute, but the grin on his face showed how relieved he was. "I'll get you something to drink." He paused. "And give you two a chance to talk for a few minutes, before I tell everyone."

He headed out, leaving Gi and Kwame alone.

Kwame checked to see that he had gone, and bent down, laying a gentle kiss on Gi's forehead. "Thought I lost you for a second there."

"Yeah, I actually thought I saw you frown for a moment." She teased. "Must have been bad."

They just looked at each other for a moment.

"Gi…" Kwame said quietly. "I know we haven't talked about it much since… well, since. But… When we were in the Geo-Cruiser, and you looked all tiny and pale and unconscious… They told me you were going to be okay, and I think that's the most relieved I've ever been about anything in my entire life."

She smiled weakly and licked her parched lips. "I hope this doesn't sound too mushy, but a moment ago, when you promised you wouldn't become a killer, even if something bad happened to me… I don't think I've ever been prouder of you, or happier to have someone close by. Not ever."

They just looked deeply at each other for a while, unable to break the look.

Gi very slowly raised a hand to his cheek and pulled him down for a kiss. He didn't even try to stop her.

There was a knock at the door. "So… is The Moment over?" Wheeler called through the door. "Because some of us would like to come in."

"Either that or speak up, because it got kind of quiet at the end there." Ruby shouted, and a few smothered chuckles came through from the other side of the door.

Kwame sent Gi that look again, and went to open the door. The entire population of Hope Island was on the other side, eager to come in and visit Gi.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"The silence of the Planeteers in the wake of their vindication has had a few people nervous. Some are wondering if there's retaliation on the horizon, but the truth it seems, is far more personal.

"In revealing the Reclaimer Conspiracy, Water Planeteer Gi Takashi was seriously wounded. Witnesses say that she suffered a gunshot wound to the side or stomach, and had to be carried by her team-mate as the Planeteers made their escape from the facility.

"At this point there has been no official word on her condition, but as thousands of wishes of support and love from people everywhere go unanswered, worries for her safety and her recovery are only increasing.

"This tragedy on what turned out to be the heroes of the story has caused strong reactions from several quarters, with many demanding those that called for their arrest to be censured immediately, and many are scrambling to clarify their earlier statements against the Planeteers.

"We here at KBX Broadcasting wish Gi Takashi a speedy recovery."

* * *

Stumm turned off the TV as Bligh came in. "You gave them the evidence?"

"Probably the largest file of unaltered pages I've ever given to the authorities in my entire career." She said blandly. "You know that if we keep giving them real documents, it makes it harder for us to give them fake ones later."

"I know. I'm not worried."

"No, I'm sure you're not." She said blandly.

Stumm looked over and raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"

"Why didn't you tell me this was your plan?" She demanded.

"Bligh, you're a good soldier. I've never had any reason to doubt you. This was a special circumstance. I had to play this one close to the chest. Anything you did you would have had to involve people in your department."

"You don't trust my department?"

"I do now." Stumm waved her down and explained. "See, The Reclaimer was a simple plan. It was a way to gain revenue. It was a source of profit that would never fade. Like all projects, I had to tie up the loose ends, but when I took out the contract on Levinson, someone talked. Interpol found out."

"Devorux." Bligh said.

"Correct. We know that _now_ , but at the time, all I knew was that whoever tipped them off would have to have known the truth about the Reclaimer, so I changed my plans a little, and expanded the contract to include the Planeteers."

"Why do that? Why draw attention?"

"By sabotaging the Reclaimer, I was able to isolate the Planeteers, and then whomever was supplying the authorities with information would have to make a choice. However this played out, there would be one of three results. One; the Planeteers would go into hiding, and they would never be a problem again. Two; someone would aim straight for once and remove the Planeteers, after we found Devorux. Three; The Planeteers would succeed, and I could remove Devorux, and anyone in the company that was helping him."

"It cost you the Reclaimer." Bligh pointed out.

"One project out of thousands." Stumm waved that off. "With the Reclaimer's secret released to the public, I had to cut my losses. I could remove Devorux and all his sources in the company, and I could do that by tying them to the Reclaimer. Doing so let the Planeteers off the hook, but that's a sacrifice I can live with, because it returns us to where we were a month ago, only stronger. Besides, giving the Planeteers full credit had other advantages."

"For example?"

Stumm checked his watch and responded by turning on the television.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"DA Holland has officially been declared the winner of the New York State Congressional Election. Experts say that his conduct during the Reclaimer Inquiry is what put his numbers over the top. Exit Polls say that his integrity in the search for The Truth, despite immense scrutiny and public pressure to declare The Planeteers guilty, has gained him enormous respect from money-makers and Party leaders.

"Regardless of the reasons, this unexpected contender from the DA's office has been catapulted to Congress with flying colors. For more on this, our European Political Consultant, Gordon Hendrix. Gordon?"

"Thanks, Dan. As it happens, the Reclaimer scandal has claimed its fair share of political and economic scalps, and not just in New York. A number of distinguished positions across the world, including here in Europe, Heads of Independent Businesses, Union Leaders, owners of several industrial production lines… even the Chairman of the Exchequer. They were the loudest voices in opposition to the Planeteers."

"To be fair, the people in question were the ones with the most to lose if the Planeteers had indeed gone rogue."

"Maybe so, but they nailed their colors to the mast, and it's cost most of them their jobs."

* * *

Stumm turned off the TV.

Bligh grinned. "You put your people in positions of power across the world, you remove the people who leak information inside The Corporation, you located and destroyed Devorux, and anyone who might be helping him, and you gain personal control over everything your loyal employees now stand to gain… and you did it all without anyone realizing you did anything at all; because as far as everyone knows… It was all the Planeteers' doing."

Stumm grinned. "That's right."

"And since we were the only ones insisting they were innocent, we look as good as they do while everyone falls over themselves to apologize." Bligh smiled in open amazement. "What if they hadn't pulled it off?"

"Then the Reclaimer Plants would have kept functioning, we would have kept collecting the money that pretty much every business on the planet was required to pay us for battery disposal, and a year from now I could have released the truth on my own and still pinned it on all the people I needed to remove."

"And if the Planeteers had gotten killed in the meantime, if wouldn't have hurt things." Bligh shook her head in awe. "So basically, whichever way this went, whatever happened, you'd win."

Stumm nodded. "It's good to be the King."

The black stone on his Ring seemed to shimmer a moment in gleeful response.

* * *

Wheeler looked up as Gi came into the communications tent. She was limping heavily, but the fact that she was walking at all was near miraculous. "Well, look who's _not_ supposed to be up and around."

"Ma-Ti's been giving me his undivided attention for a week. As have my parents, as have Kwame and Alana. I want out!"

Wheeler chuckled. "You're welcome to hide out here for a while."

Gi gave him a grateful look and sat down. "Oof. Stiff."

"How's the side?"

"It itches."

"Good. That means it's healing."

"I suppose. What's the latest?"

"Word got out that you were injured." Wheeler said. "There's a not insignificant amount of people who think that we're coming back for blood soon. Remember when everyone thought we were nature's hit-squad? Well, they're starting to get nervous again. The fear is coming back."

"Good." Gi said darkly.

Wheeler looked at her, surprised.

Gi didn't look away. "You think those people calling for our arrest would have been so quick to abandon us if we had made sure they remembered what we could do?"

"Gi, it was fear of what we could do that made them turn on us." Wheeler pointed out. "You think they would have been okay with it if they were _more_ scared of retaliation?"

"Why not? It's worked before."

"Not for long." Wheeler shot back.

Gi softened. "I know. I know, I'm not… No. I don't want revenge. I just hate that this happened. Kwame's never going to forgive himself, I know it's bothering you. We're stuck on this island again because of me, and…"

"Because of you? Gi, we only just got permission to go back. Besides, we're staying here for a reason. There's a lot of mess to clean up after the Reclaimer. Latest news has the total at eighteen arrests so far. The Chicago PD has issued a blanket pardon on any involvement in any crime. Officer Hertz's widow has apologized for the things she said…"

Gi softened. "Never do anything while angry, Wheeler. You'll give the greatest speech you ever regret."

"I hear that."

Silence.

"You heard from Trish?" Gi asked finally.

Wheeler sent her a surprised look. "Uh… no?"

Gi nodded reasonably. "Okay. That's what we geeks refer to… as a lie."

Wheeler sighed. "I got an email. I haven't read it yet. Don't know if I should. She put the word 'sorry' in the subject line about a dozen times."

"Why haven't you read it?"

"Because… that's done." He said. "I don't know what could possibly be made better by getting in touch with her ever again."

"Maybe nothing. Maybe a lot, who knows?" Gi said. "Just because you're done with all that doesn't mean… Wheeler, you're not her. You're not anything like her. Even if you had to look out for yourself, you'd never be like that to us."

Wheeler bit his lip. "I know."

"I don't think you do." She said. "There are some guys who will never get out of the lives they were born into. You were never one of them. The Ring didn't make you different when it came to you, Wheeler. The Ring came to you because you were different."

Wheeler wasn't looking at her. Gi understood. Wheeler wasn't comfortable with compliments. If she'd been making insulting jokes he'd be taking it in stride, even joking back. She wondered for a moment how many people outside his family had given him compliments on his general character before.

Kwame came in suddenly and went straight to Gi. "You shouldn't be out of bed yet." He said firmly.

"And yet I was able to walk all the way here before you noticed I was gone." Gi shot back.

"Hey, don't go attacking me. You need to take this slowly."

"The first aid books don't include a chapter on Ma-Ti. I healed a lot faster than other gunshot victims."

"Yeah, but the rest of us didn't. I'm still trying to get your mom under control, and you sneaking out doesn't help."

"Did wonders for me." Gi responded. "Y'know, Kwame, you could always pretend you haven't found me yet and just pull up a chair. I promise I'll stick around…"

Wheeler took the opportunity to escape the room. They barely noticed.

* * *

**BREAKING NEWS:**

"With the Planeteers cleared of all charges and complicity in any wrongdoing, many on both sides of the Planeteer debate have egg on their faces. Most were quick to back down from the anti-Planeteer stance, but the really interesting reaction, is from the Planeteers allies. Or rather, the lack thereof. With more on this, we go to Karen Gillys. Karen?"

"The Planet Foundation is a movement that has been officially independent of the Planeteers, though with their full support since its creation. In the weeks that The Planeteers were no longer, shall we say, heroic figures, support for the Foundation has dropped dramatically. There have been several reports of vandalism and protests at Foundation offices and meeting places; and a whole lot of silence coming from people who up until The Reclaimer explosion, have been the strongest supporters of the Planeteers. Now that their names have been cleared, not everyone is so quick to pretend it never happened, and far more than that are too embarrassed to admit that they just went with the crowd that fast."

* * *

Kwame turned the television off. The Planeteers had been following the news coverage as Gi's recovery put her out of danger, and they had finally turned their attention to the question of what to do next. "Comments, anyone?"

Linka sighed. "I hate to be the bad cop..."

"You love to be the bad cop." Wheeler retorted absently. "But I know what you're going to say, and you're not necessarily wrong. We spent too much of our time being celebrities. We weren't called together for that."

"We were picked to make things change. How we do it is up to us." Gi argued. "We're making up the rules as we go along. Who's to say that we were wrong to do it that way? Celebrities use their… attention for causes all the time. We got so many people involved..."

"And they abandoned us at the drop of a hat." Linka pointed out.

"Doesn't mean we return the favor." Wheeler said quietly.

Beat.

Kwame spoke, clear and collected. "We are still only five. If we decide never to trust anyone but these five people and our immediate families, then we will always be five people against the world. We don't need support for this team, we need support for this mission. Recent events have shown us how dangerous our position can be. If something happens to us tomorrow, I don't know if Gaia will just pick five more people, or if she'll take matters into her own hands... But I know that if we can get enough people to finish what we started..."

Everyone saw the logic of that, started nodding.

"Then we had better get started." Ma-Ti said. "We've been off message for a long time."

* * *

Lizzie Quinn picked up the phone the second it rang. "Tell me good news."

"Hi, Lizzie. It's your Uncle Mike here."

"Wheeler! Thank god. I was starting to think you were all dead. Or worse, that you'd found another agent." Her voice lowered a little. "How's Gi?"

"Recovering nicely, and eager to get back to work. We're going to give her another week, let her heal."

"Make it two weeks, and let me put out a statement about her injuries. The less you give them at this point, the more they want."

"Well they'll get plenty soon enough. We're restarting the Power is Yours Campaign."

"Really?"

"You don't approve?"

"No, I think it's a great idea." Lizzie said brightly. "You guys need to start winning back the crowd. You set the world on its head last time. My thing is that no matter how soon you come back or what you do when you get started, the only thing people are going to want to talk about will the Reclaimer."

"Well, that's your job." Wheeler said. "We'll do an interview; we've already given Interpol our testimony from here."

"I can work with that." Lizzie agreed.

"One more thing." Wheeler said. "We're organizing all the things we want to do, and we've decided it would be easier to do them all if we had money again."

Lizzie grinned a predatory grin. "Leave that to me."

* * *

The most expensive lawyers in Los Angeles were gathered in their offices. The news had reported that Lucas Bruband had left his money to the Planeteers unexpectedly, and his children had come together and agreed on something for the first time in their entire lives.

"I just got off a flight from New York. There's a flight back in an hour, and I'm leaving on it." Lizzie said simply. "You guys are the family of Mr Lucas Bruband. You'll notice I said the family, and not the heirs. The heirs of that fortune are my clients."

"We feel that we might be able to fix that." One of the legal team said snidely.

"You have two options." Lizzie said to the assorted family, ignoring the lawyers. "One: You can settle for a third, and duke it out amongst yourselves. Option two, you can take us to court. While my clients are out helping the homeless and the poverty stricken help themselves, and saving the world, you and your trust fund babies can drive their million dollar cars to court and try to drain them dry. The whole world is trying madly to get back on the Elemental Wizards' good sides, and you want to bankrupt them. So I will personally speak to everyone that you, or your lawyers know, and I'll find each and every example of extravagance and greed that I can find, and splash the story to the four corners of the globe. I'm betting I'll find a _lot_ of examples. It will be bad for them, it will be much worse for you. You will take it in the teeth. Or, you can sign on the dotted line, keep your squabbling in the family from now on, and let my clients go about the business of saving the world."

The kids were frozen, staring. And then watching each other, calculating. They were used to seeing each other as the enemy. They knew each other's moves already, and a third of the fortune was more than they could easily turn down.

Quinn put a pen down on the contract. "Offer's valid for the next ten seconds."

One of the lawyers spoke first. "We felt that with the concern-"

"Seven seconds."

Another from the legal team spoke up. "You don't want to destroy the good press you're getting back with court cases about brainwashing-"

"Four seconds."

"The judge has already agreed to-"

"Last chance."

"Where do we sign?" One of the kids shouted.

* * *

JJ was studying a map of the city, threading French fries into his mouth without looking, when he glanced up and found his brother across from him. "How did you find me?"

"I knew you wouldn't be anywhere they serve vegetables. I knew your girlfriend lives somewhere in this part of Brooklyn, and I knew that the Planet Foundation Hall reopened. After that... it's good to have Ma-Ti on your side."

JJ looked to the map again. "The Hall reopened, and most of them came back. Some were too embarrassed. Local businesses that know I'm your brother have been looking for a way to show the love, so we've been getting orders in. Setting up roof gardens, urban farms... I've been organizing meets for the World Watchers, things like that."

Wheeler looked to JJ. "No plans with your girlfriend?"

"Naw, she's coming to the meet, she's just going to be a little late."

"You're eating a cheeseburger. Isn't she vegan?"

"Yeah, but see I got breath mints, so she won't smell it on my breath when she gets back."

Wheeler stared at him. "JJ, you're cheating on your girlfriend with a Big Mac."

JJ smirked.

Wheeler's grin faltered. "Of course, if that's the worst that you do, Emily will be a happy girl."

"I hope so." JJ said quietly. The photos had vanished almost completely from the news after the Reclaimer explosion, and then all but disavowed once the Planeteers were cleared of any wrongdoing, but the tabloids had still sold out, and the pictures themselves had still gone viral. Nobody had brought it up ever again, but Wheeler was still feeling it.

Pause.

Wheeler jumped up. "Blow off the Foundation for one night. The Campaign starts again tomorrow, this is the last time we'll see each other for a while, and after all this, I owe you a movie at least."

JJ smirked. "Can I bring Emily?"

"You can ask." Wheeler said.

JJ reacted. "You have a problem with Emily?"

Wheeler sighed. "JJ, you're in my family. As a result of that, you've got a few things you need to be aware of. Ex-girlfriends, who will sell pictures to tabloids for instance, is a problem that most people won't have. And all this is over and above the standard nightmare that comes from trying to date these days."

JJ nodded. "I get it, but Emily's not like that. She didn't-"

"-didn't even know I was your brother." Wheeler said it with him.

JJ put a hand to his forehead. "I'm an idiot."

Wheeler grinned. "I'm not saying she's lying. It's entirely possible she is exactly what she says she is. I'm just saying, you've gotta be smarter than me."

JJ took the point, and tried to lighten the mood. "That shouldn't be hard."

Wheeler smirked. "So yeah, you can invite her along."

* * *

Devorux woke up from a light doze, and flinched. "YOU!"

Bligh, dressed in a nurses Uniform, and looking over his chart, turned to face him coolly. "Me. Gotta say, Captain: You look horrific."

"How did you find me?"

"You had Digger get the boat through a Corporation slush account. Should have got someone who didn't work for you back in the days when you actually worked for us."

Devorux grit his teeth. "You're here to kill me."

Bligh tapped his IV tube. "I killed you three minutes ago when I came in here."

Devorux sighed hard. "Well... it was worth a shot." He looked at her, more curious than anything else. "So. What happens now?"

"The official story will be that you and Ryerson were in cahoots, developing this money making idea that would give hundreds of people cancer. Appius signed off on it, and it continued because with you presumed dead, nobody noticed. The plot against the Planeteers will be pinned on you, Appius will get another twenty years on his thirty consecutive life sentences, and we can go about the business of ruling the world."

Devorux felt his eyes getting heavy. "One thing though: Why involve the Planeteers at all?"

"Because we couldn't find you." Bligh explained. "Who else would have the nerve, or the power, to take on Stumm? Nobody. Who else would you come out of hiding to contact? Nobody. We gave you a chance to take a shot at us, and you came out and took it."

"Just like you wanted me to." Devorux grunted in impotent rage. "Well then. Looks like you won."

"We always do." Bligh said, with no particular emotion.

"Bligh... for what it's worth... I always liked you a bit more than you thought I did. And not just because of that trick you can do with the ice-cubes... Why are you working for him?" Devorux asked, feeling himself starting to drift. "You aren't a follower..."

Bligh nodded. "I have goals of my own, I won't deny it. But I'm a practical girl. A lesson you never seemed to learn. Remember that room on the Rig? So much waste, so impractical. And look where it got you."

He was floating, drifting away. "...I don'... wan' go..."

_BEEEEEEEP._

Bligh calmly reached out and turned off the heart monitor. She didn't even look back when she left the room.

* * *

Emily was thrilled to get the call, and tried to be cool and collected at being face to face with Wheeler. They were noticed of course, and had their photos taken from every direction. Wheeler had taken it in stride, and answered a few question, dodging most of them by directing them to Lizzie.

Eventually though, enough people gathered that he took the opportunity. "A trip to the cinema will cost you ten bucks a movie. A theater quality home entertainment system costs up to ten grand, maybe more. Go out and enjoy your neighborhood for a while, take a friend to the movies and make an evening of it. It'll save you a lot of money in the long run, and make for some great memories. Remember that on average, every dollar saved will save a pound of greenhouse gases. Sustainability is about using less, taking less, and putting back more. Something I learned from living on Hope Island is how surprising it was how little I really needed. Buying an eBook will save a tree. Going to the library will save a tree _and_ your money. You can ask your library to buy books for you and let thousands of people make use of it. Look at your shelves, look at your DVD collection and ask yourself: how often do I really look at these?"

The assembled people nodded. They were listening, thinking it through.

"That's something that doesn't apply to just books and movies. Look around your house. Power Tools and camping gear get used once a year on average. When you need some, see if you can borrow it for a week instead of buying it new. Everything we buy is shrink-wrapped now. Buy your cheese and meat from a deli, save a lot of plastic products. **The Power Is Yours!** "

At the sound of the familiar rallying cry, the people who were not press burst into applause, cheering the catchphrase. It was the final proof that people were hoping for. The Planeteers were back.

And they wasted no time.

* * *

The World Watchers had been asked to do a lot of community work. Private donations were coming in to help them. People were pledging money, donating property for them to work on…

One such place was an office building in New York. The Foundation had been approached to see if they could turn it into a community roof garden, and Linka had come to join in the help. What was just bare concrete was now a container garden that would soon be producing flowers and vegetables.

It took a lot of work to set it up, but the people that owned the building were thrilled to have it done, as it would insulate the roof, and provide a source of income. And since all the work was volunteer, it cost them nothing.

"They were surprised to hear about it." JJ had explained to Linka. "They lease the building floor by floor. About eight different companies have office space here. They say it's the first time someone had asked to buy a section of the building outright. And when they asked for the roof, it was a good deal, since none of their tenants use it."

"Who buys an office block roof just to turn it into a volunteer garden?"

"I did."

Linka turned and found Trish Allen staring her down. Trish handed JJ an envelope. "Papers are signed, paid in full. It belongs to the Foundation now. Have fun."

"You did this?" Linka asked in disbelief.

"I recently came into a little money." Trish shot back. "I hear that the Foundation is a pretty good cause to support." She didn't let her face soften, despite what she was saying. "When you go back to your private tropical island, we're still living here. Brooklyn in my home, Linka, I want to make it nicer to live in too."

Linka was stuck in the awkward position of being grateful to Wheeler's ex-girlfriend and resolved to change the subject. "Well, come on then. Grab a shovel, we've got plenty of work to do."

Trish shook her head. "Sorry. I did my part; and I have a shift. Tell Wheels that I'm sorry about… well, everything."

JJ called her back as she turned to go. "Hey, Trish?" He called. "How much did the roof cost you?"

"About fifteen grand."

"You got paid fifty."

"Yeah? So what? I gotta eat, don't I?" Trish called over her shoulder and went downstairs, as the rest of JJ's friends came up past her, carrying equipment, soil, seed, garden tools.

Linka growled under her breath. "I do not like that person at all."

JJ grinned. "Remember who you're talking to. You think I have any great love for Trash Alley?" He asked her.

"I know you don't. So why are you smiling?"

"Hey, I have no problem with her leaving. I have no problem with spending her money. I have no problem with people contributing to the Foundation. I get all of the above right now." JJ said simply. "I never knew she existed till the pictures came out, and I'm perfectly happy to declare victory and move on."

"A trick I never seem to learn." Linka admitted ruefully.

JJ chuckled. "Come on, let's get busy."

"JJ." Emily called from the fire escape. "There's a bunch of reporters downstairs. They want to know if Linka is really here."

JJ turned to Linka. "Interested?"

"Why not?" Linka said. JJ went with her down the side of the building on the alley side, and stopped at the first floor, where everyone got a good look at them.

Linka spoke. "I'm helping today with the Planet Foundation. The New York chapter has been taking part in an effort to 'Green' New York. The roof garden they've produced here will insulate the roof naturally, and will actually make more money since it's a growing space. That's an idea that's growing across the industrialized world. Paris has announced plans to have 80,000 square yards of green roofs by 2020. But for that, you'd want to talk to the one in charge of the group working today."

JJ realized that she meant him, and struggled to find his footing. "Yes... um... In 1950, New York City was the only megacity on the planet. Today there are 25, and cities are only getting bigger every day." He gestured up at the rooftop. "I live in New York. Most of the trips you take are less than a mile. Walk, or ride your bike. If you don't have one, that's not a problem any more. New York City started it's first Bike-Share Program in April 2012. 10,000 bikes available for loan. The New York Bike Share is one of over 200 such schemes happening across the world. Look up your home town right now, find an app to locate the Bike Stations in your area. If you don't have a bike, you don't ever need to worry about the care and upkeep of one again. The Bike Share Program is now in hundreds of cities around the world, mostly in Europe, but it's growing in America."

"That's right." Linka took up. "In the meantime today, we're setting up a microgarden. During the first Power Is Yours Tour, I went to Caracas Venuzela. That city has 8000 microgardens like the one we've set up here, and the target is 100,000. Rooftops, backyards, balconies, windowsills. Urban farming is taking off in Chicago and Milwaukee, as well as a lot of other places. You can set one up in your home right now if you want to. **The Power Is Yours!** "

* * *

Gi didn't take the Geo-Cruiser. She still hand one arm in a sling to keep her side immobile, and couldn't work the controls properly. Instead, she went with her family on the houseboat. It calmed her parents down significantly, getting so much of her undivided attention, and it eased Gi's mind to know that she still ad strength enough to get her family houseboat all the way back to Japan.

Gi had followed the news during the trip, grateful that her fellow Planeteers were taking over enough of the New Campaign to give her some extra time to heal.

They docked to a fairly large reception of locals and reporters who wanted the first picture of her since the Reclaimer. The neighbours all knew who her family was, and the fact that they were gone had been noticed. Word spread quickly that they were back. When Gi stepped off the boat and waved with her good hand, smiling broadly, there was a round of applause.

Gi's parents were surprised when she asked to accompany them to work, but when the entire staff of the manufacture plant came to the cafeteria to join them, they understood. There were more people in the room than either of them had ever seen; and they felt no small amount of pride at their daughter holding court over all of them.

"This plant produces cars." Gi said simply. "A lot of people thought that you'd be on our list. Well, you're not, and not because my parents work here. In America, nine out of ten Americans have a car. In China, three cars get shared between a hundred people. It takes 17 trees to absorb the carbon of one car every year. And yet air quality in China is abysmal, because they have huge industry, and dirty power sources. People have asked me if Solar makes sense as a power source. Well consider this. If you took every bit of power that the whole human race generates and added it up; more than 8000 times the total reaches us from the sun, every day. The ability to get power from the sun is increasing in efficiency all the time. Solar technology is evolving, becoming more widespread in mobile devices. You can hook a battery charger up to a solar panel and carry it around on a backpack if you want. Google it right now, you'll get instructions. Germany set up more solar panels in December 2011 than the US did all year. More than half the renewable energy sources in Germany is privately owned. Not power companies, not government: Private Citizens. The Concentrated Solar Panel grid could power all the USA. It would take an area of 34,000 square kilometres. That's less than 0.4% of the US. How much unused space is there in America? Or Japan? Or China? Or Africa?"

There was a rumbling of agreement to that.

"Wyoming is getting a thousand wind turbines soon, making the largest wind farm in north America. It's an urgent shift, and it's not happening fast enough. 2010 saw the biggest jump in CO2 emissions since records began. Current levels of greenhouse gases are worse, than the very worst case scenario that was put forward decades ago. At maximum, we have 40 years of oil left, and it's only going to get more expensive as time goes on." Gi said. "And for that, experts say that by 2020, we'll be using 30% more power than we are today. And that comes _after_ upgrading our appliances and technology to be so much more energy efficient than they were twenty years ago. But new tech isn't the only way. People ask me why we focus on small changes, and the reason is that small changes make big results. This very plant is now part of the CoolBiz program, which encourages casual clothes during summer months. I've lived through summer in Japan, I know how hot it can be. Wearing casual clothes can save enough power on cooling over a summer to power a town of 250,000 people for a month. Anyone who doesn't work here, talk to your workplace and see if they're interested too. The worst they can say is no. **The Power Is Yours!** "

* * *

Linka looked up from her part of the new roof garden and saw Ruby, pointing Gi's camera-phone at her. "Ruby, put that down!"

"Nuh-uh!" Ruby said cheerily. "Wheeler said you'd be the most popular video on Youtube!"

"You've never even seen Youtube!" Linka rolled her eyes. "I'm digging in the garden. I'm hardly at my best."

Ruby just smiled.

Linka sighed, then thought for a minute. "Why not?" She stood up. "During World War Two, fresh food was scarce. A number of the most prosperous nations had to go on rationing because of threats to shipping. A lot of people were encouraged to set up 'Victory Gardens', to grow their own produce in their own backyards."

Linka gestured at the seedlings planted in the dirt in front of her. "After the economic collapse, more than 44 million people in America are currently on Food Stamps! Most people live in cities. I'm lucky enough to have room to lay out a vegetable patch, but you can grow a surprising amount of food on a balcony, or for that matter, a shady windowsill. A single tomato plant gave give you an average of eighty tomatoes per season. If you're watching this on Youtube, it shouldn't be hard to search for information on urban gardening. It'll save you money, it's better for you, and frankly… it's a good way to spend your time. **The Power Is Yours!** "

* * *

Wheeler showed up unexpectedly in Las Vegas, to the surprise of a lot of people. The new Power Is Yours Campaign was happening by ambush. Nobody knew where they were going to show up. They just appeared in parks, and cafeterias and schools and shopping centers. People all looked around at the commotion, and small crowds would gather. Most of the time they had camera-phones and the news would spread quickly. Youtube took video of the Planeteers from all quarters, and the stories were getting picked up by the local news, then the national news, by blogs, social media...

"I've only been to Vegas once before. It's a ritzy town, and there's such a party going on here, it's sometimes easy to remember how fragile it is. When the power runs out, Vegas will cease to exist." Wheeler was telling the people who lived there. "Even if power never becomes an issue, Vegas is totally dependent on Lake Mead; which is the largest man-made reservoir on earth. It provides water and power to the whole place. The lake has already dropped by over a hundred feet since 1999, and experts say that there's a fifty-fifty chance it'll be dry by 2021. Climate change is taking the rainfall away and turning all of it to a desert. Millions of people are already moving in the world to escape floods and famine. Act now, because you wont get a chance later. **The Power Is Yours!** "

* * *

Ma-Ti showed up at a rooftop beehive that the Foundation was starting. He stood out amongst all the bee-keepers in that he wore no protective gear. The bees didn't touch him, were not afraid of the boy as he passed through their hives.

"Linka and Wheeler have been talking about urban gardens. Urban beekeeping is also a growing trend, but a less popular one. Nobody likes to be stung, and that's understandable, but consider for a moment how urgent it is. Bees pollinate all plants. All of them. Without bees, nothing would grow at all. Bees are dying off in huge numbers. If they go extinct, the world will have less than four years to live. More than 800,000 hives were wiped out in 2007. Making a new home for them in the city is a way to reverse that trend. And like so much else, you can take part in it too. **The Power Is Yours!** "

* * *

Once before in Central Park, Ma-Ti had summoned a crowd of people together via the power of his Ring. They were leaving their cars, their pets, their friends, some of them mid-conversation.

This time was much simpler. Kwame and Gi were going for a walk. Kwame hadn't left her side since the Reclaimer, and she was more than happy with that arrangement. Everyone in the park had noticed them, and a lot had come over for an autograph or a chat. Soon enough there were people recording the moment on their phones, and the two Planeteers took the opportunity to speak to them.

"A lot of environmental groups have been looking at the river, leading to the Hudson, in the wake of what happened at the Reclaimer." Gi said. "They want to know if the Hudson itself is beyond saving at the moment. Well consider this: Fifty years ago, the Thames was actually toxic. Today it has over 120 species of marine life in it. The waterways have a phenomenal ability to heal themselves. All we have to do is give them a chance to do it."

"Gi asked me, if maybe the problem was just too big. If maybe there's just no way to fix this issue." Kwame took up the story. "I've heard that there are roughly a hundred thousand web-pages about one or more of us now, and it seems like every three days there's someone else demanding to know how we can go around the world talking about these little solutions, given the fact that we're fighting the mother of all problems. The reason is simple: It's the only way it's going to get done!"

The crowd didn't know how to react to that.

"People are waiting for their leaders, or corporations to make changes and fix this. Well… they won't. One thing we've had proven over and over is that politics will not fix this. They just can't do it. They are not leading the world. They're not even following it. Not on this. We can't wait for them." Kwame said. "Some have already reached this conclusion, and are now turning to financial powers to find innovation or changes in production to fix the problem. Exxon is still fighting liability for damages from the Exxon Valdez spill twenty years later."

Gi piped up then. "We can argue about responsibility all we want, but more important than figuring out who made the mess; is figuring out how to clean it up. We can point fingers, or we can actually do something that might get somewhere. And the only way to do that, is to do it ourselves, because it should be pretty clear by now that nobody else will."

Kwame looked around. He saw people agreeing with them, but not believing it. It was a feeling that they were familiar with now, having gone through the same doubt themselves during the mission.

"Every time we find an alternative, we take away part of the problem." Kwame explained. "Every time we do something for ourselves, we ease pressure on the resources meant to do it for us. If you don't like the way you get served at a restaurant, you go to a different one. If you don't like a movie you're watching, you leave the theater. If you don't like the way your life is going, if you don't like where your food comes from or how you go to work in the morning, then make a change. That power of choice is something that nobody can take away. **The Power Is Yours!"**

* * *

Formerly DA Holland, now Congressman Holland, raised his glass. The election was called and he'd had to attend half a dozen celebrations. This one was the smallest and most secret, but the only one he really wanted to be there for himself. "Like many of us here, I started with nothing. I had big dreams, and no chance."

A chorus of agreement rumbled through the room.

"We've all said it at one time or another." Holland continued, making a speech of his toast. "All we needed was someone to give us a chance. Well, most of us here never found anyone willing to give us anything. What little we got, we had to claw out of the bastards, inch by miserable inch. But we survived. Because we knew we had it in us to stand up, when everyone and his brother told us we were no good."

A louder rumble, angry and spiteful, in full agreement with the sentiment.

"I'm not a fool. I know I never would have made it half as far as I wanted… were it not for the support of one man. A man just like us, who got where he was with no help, and by having to be twice as good as everyone else to get half the recognition. There was a time when nobody would give me a job flipping burgers, and today I was sworn in as a New York State Congressman."

Light applause.

"I know that if I go around the room, and give all of us a chance to speak, you'll have similar tales to tell. Look at us now. Now we're Congressmen, Union Leaders, even the Chairman of the Exchequer. All of us, catapulted to the top of the business we've chosen; while the people who denied us are all cast out in disgrace, thanks to the skilful use of the media, the Corporation, the Police, and The Planeteers themselves. I for one am in awe. And I will not forget who helped me here today. And so, ladies and gentlemen, a toast. To Mr Vernan Stumm."

"To Vernan Stumm." Toasted over a dozen of the most newly powerful people in the world.

Stumm took it in coolly, adjusted his Ring, and returned the toast.

* * *

The Public Library held a poetry reading every week, open to the public; to bring what they had read, or what they themselves had written. It was a fairly intimate affair, not gathering much interest, until someone noticed Ma-Ti taking a book off the shelf, and waiting to take his turn. By the time it was his turn to read, the entire population of the library had come to see what he'd come up with.

Ma-Ti stepped up to the podium, and opened the book, reading without seeming to focus his eyes on the page.

_"There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,  
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; _

_And frogs in the pool singing at night,  
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;_

_Robins will wear their feathery fire,  
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;_

_And not one will know of the war, not one  
Will care at last when it is done._

_Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,  
If mankind perished utterly;_

_And Spring herself when she woke at dawn  
Would scarcely know that we were gone."_

The audience smirked, knowing where he was going with this, even as he closed the book.

"That poem was written by Sara Teasdale in 1920." Ma-Ti said. "I only read it myself fairly recently. She was talking about War, and about how if we wiped ourselves out, the world would go on quite comfortably without us. But if those birds have starved, and their nests ruined by deforestation, if those soft rains have turned to acid rain... The notion of human extinction is not a new one. We've been living with the possibility of destroying ourselves for sixty years. And we didn't do it. By all accounts the Cold War was on the edge of turning hot for a long time, but we showed enough moral restraint to keep ourselves from going down that path. Now we must do so again."

The audience murmured, appreciating the point as true.

"And if we fail... if we destroy the world we live on, we won't just lose animals and jungles... We'll lose Oprah." Ma-Ti smiled as the room chuckled. "And the Mona Lisa. And Shakespeare, and Jack the Ripper, and Abraham Lincoln, and Chuck Berry and Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and Einstein and McDonald's, and the Sistine Chapel and American Idol..." He held up the book. "And Sara Teasdale. The entire recorded triumphs and failings of the human race are on the line with every new generation. If it all comes apart because we let it, then it all meant nothing. If there's anything that has ever existed in the world that matters at all, then don't let that happen. **The Power Is Yours!** "

* * *

Karen Gillys took the time to smooth over any questions that the Planeteers had about her loyalty to them as their friend, or as a reporter, and then began the interview. It was the first that any of them had given since restarting the 'Power is Yours Campaign'; and the first since The Reclaimer.

Inwardly, she had been relieved to get the call. Lizzie Quinn had apparently plead her case. Both of them had been under about a dozen gag orders from both their superiors and the authorities, denying them any chance to make a case of the Planeteers publicly before a trial.

It was a good law to have, as it helped ensure a fair trial could take ace, but the unfortunate fact of it was that the Heroes For Earth were forced into silence during the whole ordeal, and Karen had half expected them to end her career as a result.

Kwame had assured her that they had not held a grudge, and the interview went well.

"What do you say to those who think that you're pushing your own opinion, when there are millions of opinions out there?"

"We're not afraid of different thoughts. There are only five of us. If someone has a better way, by all means point it out. But the only way to find a better idea is to get the one that has it off the bench and in the game." Kwame said simply. "Doctors have said that due to childhood obesity, heart disease... we have the first generation of industrialized people that are more likely to live shorter lives than the generation before; and that doesn't even count the millions starving to death in the rest of the world. That can't possibly be considered progress."

"That's tough to argue with." Karen acknowledged. "So looking back, what was the overall outcome for the team? After this Mission, what stuck the most?"

Kwame took a moment to consider his response, as he almost always did. "Ultimately, what was affected the most was the five of us." He said. "When we first met, we had no idea what we were getting into. We had no idea what was going to happen, or how hard it would be. We didn't start this mission, you see, we just got picked."

"Picked by whom?"

"No comment." Kwame said. "Again."

"Can't blame a girl for trying."

"No. But, since we never thought to start something like this ourselves, we didn't… have the stomachs for it. Not at first. But after all this, we got back up again. There was a time when we were ready to throw in the towel… Things are better now. The stakes didn't rise. They were always that high. The rules didn't change, it was always like this. What changed was the five of us. When Hope Island was formed, we had been a team for less than a week. That day was about starting something… This last two months… was about accepting it."

"It's a huge mission to accept."

"Yes it is, but the hard part is accepting our role in it. The goal itself is not ours alone."

"A point that you made spectacularly last year with your first Power is Yours Campaign, and again over the last few weeks. Last time you had stadium concerts, you had addresses to the UN… the last few weeks you've been showing up at gardens, walking around Central Park. Wheeler kicked off the second campaign by going to the movies with his brother. What changed?"

"We did." Kwame said simply. "That visit to a movie theater became the most watched video online last week. Me and Gi at Central Park did the same a week later. The news picked it up without us ever being involved. We're trying to get people to join our cause. But we're also trying to get people to care about something. If the Reclaimer event had gone differently, would anyone have continued what we started? Our celebrity was actually working against us for a while there. This has always been called a Grass Roots movement. We're not going to make it about us. It's about everyone."

* * *

_**A long game to play. I think that's one a draw.** _

_Not a draw. We're playing two different games here. Besides, there was no stalemate. They came back stronger. There's nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer._

_**I never lose Gaia. Whichever way this goes, I only stand to gain. I never lose. I always win.** _

_Right there? That's always been the flaw in your argument._

_**What?** _

_There doesn't have to be a loser._


	11. Gauntlet

Bligh came into Stumm's office, and did a quick scan out of habit. The Corporation was large and influential enough that most Law Enforcement or Intelligence Agencies would try to sneak in cameras and listening devices regularly. She was on top of it. She had to be, before she could risk talking about any of their 'extra-curricular' projects.

Stumm was at his desk, though his chair was turned to face out the window. The office was designed to intimidate visitors, and remind them just who was in charge of things. Stumm didn't have the same taste for blatant extravagance that many at his level would adopt; but the view was commanding, overlooking the whole city from at least a few stories up.

Bligh cat-walked to his desk. "You know your office plants are all dying."

"I know." Stumm slowly turned the chair to look at her. "I prefer them that way."

Bligh almost smirked, and put a folder on his desk. "My final report. Everything we gave the authorities, everything they didn't get."

Stumm nodded, unconcerned. "It hardly matters. Even if they found something, we'd never be charged."

"I know, but best to keep things neat." Bligh nodded.

"You run a tight ship, Bligh. I like that about you." Stumm nodded. "Now then, I have a new mission for you. It requires a very light touch. This isn't applying muscle, or buying someone off. You can't involve any of your people, or make any kind of record, digital or paper-trail. It'll take months before we're ready, so we start now. This is the most delicate mission I've ever given you."

Bligh nodded. "Give me an order, sir."

Stumm pulled a new file out of his desk drawer, and held it out to her. Inside, were photos. Photos of familiar faces.

And written on the front of the front of the folder was a single word:

**Gauntlet**

Bligh looked at the photos, and shivered suddenly. From somewhere, she thought she had heard the sound of malevolent, angry laughter.

* * *

**Coming Soon:**

The End of the 'Heroes For Earth' Trilogy.

 **"The Power Is Yours!"** by Stephensmat.

**Author's Note:**

> All the information and statistics shown in this tale were accurate at time of publishing. I am migrating my fics over from ff net. The stats are probably out of date now, but there's good news on the way, and getting better.


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